Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

contain

Pronunciation: /kənˈteɪn/

Translate contain | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of contain

verb

[with object]
  • 1have or hold (someone or something) within:the cigarettes were thought to contain cannabis
  • be made up of (a number of things):documents containing both text and simple graphics can be created
  • (of a number) be divisible by (a factor) without a remainder: since F contains the factor Q it disappears from both sides of the equation
  • 2control or restrain (oneself or a feeling):he must contain his hatred
  • prevent (a severe problem) from spreading or intensifying:the government has already taken steps to contain the disease

Derivatives

containable

adjective

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French contenir, from Latin continere, from con- 'altogether' + tenere 'to hold'

contain in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of contain in the US English dictionary
  |  Cite

Word of the day

kempt

/ kɛm(p)t /
adjective
maintained in a neat and clean condition …