Maintain

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

CIDE DICTIONARY

Maintain, v. t. [OE. maintenen, F. maintenir, properly, to hold by the hand; main hand (L. manus) + F. tenir to hold (L. tenere). See Manual, and Tenable.].

•  To hold or keep in any particular state or condition; to support; to sustain; to uphold; to keep up; not to suffer to fail or decline; as, to maintain a certain degree of heat in a furnace; to maintain a fence or a railroad; to maintain the digestive process or powers of the stomach; to maintain the fertility of soil; to maintain present reputation.  [1913 Webster]
•  To keep possession of; to hold and defend; not to surrender or relinquish.  [1913 Webster]

  "God values . . . every one as he maintains his post."  [1913 Webster]
•  To continue; not to suffer to cease or fail.  [1913 Webster]

  "Maintain talk with the duke."  [1913 Webster]
•  To bear the expense of; to support; to keep up; to supply with what is needed.  [1913 Webster]

  "Glad, by his labor, to maintain his life."  [1913 Webster]

  "What maintains one vice would bring up two children."  [1913 Webster]
•  To affirm; to support or defend by argument.  [1913 Webster]

  "It is hard to maintain the truth, but much harder to be maintained by it."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To assert; vindicate; allege. See Assert.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Maintain, v.tr.
1 cause to continue; keep up, preserve (a state of affairs, an activity, etc.) (maintained friendly relations).
2 (often foll. by in; often refl.) support (life, a condition, etc.) by work, nourishment, expenditure, etc. (maintained him in comfort; maintained themselves by fishing).
3 (often foll. by that + clause) assert (an opinion, statement, etc.) as true (maintained that she was the best; his story was true, he maintained).
4 preserve or provide for the preservation of (a building, machine, road, etc.) in good repair.
5 give aid to (a cause, party, etc.).
6 provide means for (a garrison etc. to be equipped).

Idiom

maintained school Brit. a school supported from public funds.

Derivative

maintainable adj. maintainability n.

Etymology

ME f. OF maintenir ult. f. L manu tenere hold in the hand

THESAURUS

Maintain

abide, accommodate, account as, advocate, affirm, afford, afford support, allege, allege in support, announce, annunciate, answer, argue, argue for, assert, assever, asseverate, assume, aver, avouch, avow, back, back up, be afraid, bear, bear out, bear up, bide, blow to, bolster, bolster up, bottle up, brace, brook no denial, buoy up, buttress, care for, carry, carry on, champion, claim, clothe, conceive, conserve, consider, contend, contend for, continue, continue to be, contribute, copyright, cork up, correct, counter, cradle, crutch, cultivate, cushion, daresay, declare, deem, defeat time, defend, defy time, donate, dwell, emphasize, endow, endure, enunciate, espouse, esteem, estimate, exist, expect, express, extend, fancy, fight for, fill, fill up, finance, find, fund, furnish, give, give support, go on, go treat, guard, guess, have, have a hunch, have an idea, have an impression, have an inkling, have the idea, hold, hold as, hold in, hold on, hold out, hold up, husband, imagine, inhibit, insist, insist on, insist upon, invest, issue a manifesto, judge, justify, keep, keep afloat, keep alive, keep going, keep in, keep intact, keep inviolate, keep on, keep safe, keep up, last, last long, last out, lay down, lend support, lengthen, live, live on, live through, lock in, look after, look upon as, mainstay, make a plea, make available, make provision for, manage, manifesto, not destroy, not endanger, not expend, not use up, not waste, nurture, opine, patent, pay the bill, perdure, perennate, perpetuate, persist, persist in, pillow, plead for, predicate, prepare, present, preserve, press, presume, prevail, proclaim, profess, prolong, pronounce, prop, prop up, protect, protest, protract, provide, provide for, put, put it, rebut, reckon, recruit, rectify, refute, regard, register, reinforce, remain, replenish, reply, repress, respond, retain, right, riposte, run, run on, save, save up, say, say in defense, set down, set down as, set up, shore, shore up, shoulder, spare, speak, speak for, speak out, speak up, speak up for, stand, stand by, stand drinks, stand for, stand on, stand to, stand treat, stand up for, state, stay, stay on, stick to, stick up for, stock, store, stress, submit, subsidize, subsist, subvention, subventionize, supply, support, suppose, suppress, surmise, survive, suspect, sustain, take, take care of, take for, take it, take no denial, tarry, testify, think, tide over, treat, treat to, trow, underbrace, undergird, underlie, underpin, underset, upbear, uphold, upkeep, urge, urge reasons for, view as, vindicate, vouchsafe, warrant, wear, wear well, ween, yield

ROGET THESAURUS

Maintain

Preservation

VB preserve, maintain, keep, sustain, support, hold, keep up, keep alive, refrigerate, keep on ice, not willingly let die, bank up, nurse, save, rescue, be safe, make safe, take care of, guard, stare super antiquas vias, hold one's own, hold one's ground, stand one's ground, embalm, cure, salt, pickle, season, kyanize, bottle, pot, tin, can, sterilize, pasteurize, radiate, dry, lyophilize, freeze- dry, concentrate, evaporate, freeze, quick-freeze, deep-freeze, husband.

Permanence

VB let alone, let be, let it be, persist, remain, stay, tarry, rest, stet (copy editing) hold, hold on, last, endure, bide, abide, aby, dwell, maintain, keep, stand, stand still, stand fast, subsist, live, outlive, survive, hold one's ground, keep one's ground, hold one's footing, keep one's footing, hold good.

Continuance in action

VB continue, persist, go on, jog on, keep on, run on, hold on, abide, keep, pursue, stick to its course, take its course, maintain its course, carry on, keep up, sustain, uphold, hold up, keep on foot, follow up, perpetuate, maintain, preserve, harp upon, keep going, keep alive, keep the pot boiling, keep up the ball, keep up the good work, die in harness, die with one's boots on, hold on the even tenor of one's way, pursue the even tenor of one's way, let be, stare super antiquas vias, quieta non movere, let things take their course, stare decisis (Jurisprudence).

Agency

VB be in action, operate, work, act, act upon, perform, play, support, sustain, strain, maintain, take effect, quicken, strike, come play, come bring into operation, have play, have free play, bring to bear upon.

Support

VB be supported, lie on, sit on, recline on, lean on, loll on, rest on, stand on, step on, repose on, abut on, bear on, be based on, have at one's back, bestride, bestraddle, support, bear, carry, hold, sustain, shoulder, hold up, back up, bolster up, shore up, uphold, upbear, prop, under prop, under pin, under set, riprap, bandage, give support, furnish support, afford support, supply support, lend support, give foundations, furnish foundations, afford foundations, supply foundations, lend foundations, bottom, found, base, ground, imbed, embed, maintain, keep on foot, aid.

Affirmation

VB assert, make an assertion, have one's say, say, affirm, predicate, declare, state, protest, profess, put forth, put forward, advance, allege, propose, propound, enunciate, broach, set forth, hold out, maintain, contend, pronounce, pretend, depose, depone, aver, avow, avouch, asseverate, swear, make oath, take one's oath, make an affidavit, swear an affidavit, put in an affidavit, take one's Bible oath, kiss the book, vow, vitam impendere vero, swear till one is black in the face, swear till one is blue in the face, swear till all's blue, be sworn, call Heaven to witness, vouch, warrant, certify, assure, swear by bell book and candle, swear by, insist upon, take one's stand upon, emphasize, lay stress on, assert roundly, assert positively, lay down, lay down the law, raise one's voice, dogmatize, have the last word, rap out, repeat, reassert, reaffirm, announce, acknowledge, attest, adjure.