contain Meaning, Definition & Usage

verb include or contain; have as a component
incorporate; comprise.
- A totally new idea is comprised in this paper
- The record contains many old songs from the 1930's
verb contain or hold; have within
carry; hold; bear.
- The jar carries wine
- The canteen holds fresh water
- This can contains water
verb lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits
control; moderate; hold in; curb; hold; check.
- moderate your alcohol intake
- hold your tongue
- hold your temper
- control your anger
verb be divisible by
- 24 contains 6
verb be capable of holding or containing
hold; take.
- This box won't take all the items
- The flask holds one gallon
verb hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of
turn back; stop; hold back; arrest; check.
- Arrest the downward trend
- Check the growth of communism in South East Asia
- Contain the rebel movement
- Turn back the tide of communism

OE. contenen, conteinen, F. contenir, fr. L. continere, -tentum; con- + tenere to hold. See Tenable, and cf. Countenance.

imperfect & past participle Contained ; present participle & verbal noun Containing

To hold within fixed limits; to comprise; to include; to inclose; to hold.
Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can not contain thee; how much less this house! 2 Chron. vi. 18.

When that this body did contain a spirit. Shak.

What thy stores contain bring forth. Milton.
To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks.
To put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds. Obs., exept as used reflexively.
The king's person contains the unruly people from evil occasions. Spenser.

Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves. Shak.

To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.
But if they can not contain, let them marry. 1 Cor. vii. 9.