Contain

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: con=tain

CIDE DICTIONARY

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

•  To hold within fixed limits; to comprise; to include; to inclose; to hold.  [1913 Webster]

  "Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can not contain thee; how much less this house!"  [1913 Webster]

  "When that this body did contain a spirit."  [1913 Webster]

  "What thy stores contain bring forth."  [1913 Webster]
•  To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks.  [1913 Webster]
•  To put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds.  [1913 Webster]

  "The king's person contains the unruly people from evil occasions."  [1913 Webster]

  "Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves."  [1913 Webster]

Contain, v. i. 

 To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.  [1913 Webster]
"But if they can not contain, let them marry."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Contain, v.tr.
1 hold or be capable of holding within itself; include, comprise.
2 (of measures) consist of or be equal to (a gallon contains eight pints).
3 prevent (an enemy, difficulty, etc.) from moving or extending.
4 control or restrain (oneself, one's feelings, etc.).
5 (of a number) be divisible by (a factor) without a remainder.

Derivative

containable adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF contenir f. L continere content- (as com-, tenere hold)

THESAURUS

Contain

accommodate, add up to, admit, affect, aggregate, aggregate to, amount to, arrest, assimilate, assume, bang, bar, barricade, batten, batten down, bear, beleaguer, beset, besiege, blockade, bolt, bound, box in, bridle, bring, button, button up, cage, call for, carry, chamber, check, choke, choke off, clap, close, close in, close up, collect, come to, compass, complete, comprehend, comprise, condition, confine, constrain, constrict, contract, control, cool, cool off, coop, coop in, coop up, copyright, cordon, cordon off, corral, count in, cover, curb, curtail, decelerate, discipline, dompt, draw the line, embed, embody, embrace, encircle, enclose, encompass, enfold, enjoin, enshrine, entail, envisage, fasten, fence in, fill, fill in, fill out, fold, fold up, govern, guard, hedge about, hedge in, hem in, hinder, hold, hold at bay, hold back, hold fast, hold in, hold in check, hold in leash, hold up, house in, implicate, imply, impound, imprison, incarcerate, include, incorporate, inhibit, internalize, involve, jail, keep, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep under control, keep within, kennel, key, latch, lay under restraint, lead to, leaguer, limit, lock, lock out, lock up, mew, mew up, moderate, mount up to, narrow, number, number among, occlude, occupy, padlock, patent, pen, pen in, plumb, pocket, presume, presuppose, prohibit, pull, pull in, put in, qualify, quarantine, rail in, receive, reckon among, reckon in, reckon up to, reckon with, register, rein, rein in, repress, require, restrain, restrict, retard, retrench, run into, run to, scant, seal, seal off, seal up, seat, secure, set back, shrine, shut, shut in, shut the door, shut up, slam, slow down, snap, snub, specialize, squeeze shut, stable, stifle, stint, straiten, strangle, subsume, suppress, surround, take, take in, take into account, take into consideration, take up, tot up to, total, tote up to, unitize, wall in, withhold, wrap, yard, yard up, zip up, zipper

ROGET THESAURUS

Contain

Composition

VB be composed of, be made of, be formed of, be made up of, consist of, be resolved into, include, contain, hold, comprehend, take in, admit, embrace, embody, involve, implicate, drag into, compose, constitute, form, make, make up, fill up, build up, enter into the composition of.

Inclusion

VB be included in, come under, fall under, range under, belong to, pertain to, range with, merge in, include, comprise, comprehend, contain, admit, embrace, receive, inclose, embody, encircle, reckon among, enumerate among, number among, refer to, place with, arrange with, place under, take into account.