to hold or include within its volume or area: This glass contains water. This paddock contains our best horses.
2.
to be capable of holding; have capacity for: The room will contain 75 persons safely.
3.
to have as contents or constituent parts; comprise; include.
4.
to keep under proper control; restrain: He could not contain his amusement.
5.
to prevent or limit the expansion, influence, success, or advance of (a hostile nation, competitor, opposing force, natural disaster, etc.): to contain an epidemic.
6.
to succeed in preventing the spread of: efforts to contain water pollution.
7.
Mathematics. (of a number) to be a multiple of; be divisible by, without a remainder: Ten contains five.
8.
to be equal to: A quart contains two pints.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME conte(y)nen < AF contener, OF contenir < L continére, equiv. to con-con-+ tenére to hold (see tenet)]
—Related forms
con·tain·a·ble, adjective
—Synonyms 1.Contain,accommodate,hold, express the idea that something is so designed that something else can exist or be placed within it. Contain refers to what is actually within a given container. Hold emphasizes the idea of keeping within bounds; it refers also to the greatest amount or number that can be kept within a given container. Accommodate means to contain comfortably or conveniently, or to meet the needs of a certain number. A passenger plane that accommodates 50 passengers may be able to hold 60, but at a given time may contain only 30. 3. embody, embrace.
To hold or keep within limits; restrain: I could hardly contain my curiosity.
To halt the spread or development of; check: Science sought an effective method of containing the disease.
To have as component parts; include or comprise: The album contains many memorable songs.
To hold or keep within limits; restrain: I could hardly contain my curiosity.
To halt the spread or development of; check: Science sought an effective method of containing the disease.
To check the expansion or influence of (a hostile power or ideology) by containment.
Mathematics To be exactly divisible by.
[Middle English conteinen, from Old French contenir, from Latin continēre : com-, com- + tenēre, to hold; see ten- in Indo-European roots.]
con·tain'a·ble adj.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to have within or have a capacity. Contain means to have within or have as a part or constituent: The book contains some amusing passages. Hold stresses capacity for containing: The pitcher holds two pints but contains only one. Accommodate refers to capacity for holding comfortably: The restaurant accommodates 50 customers.
c.1290, from O.Fr. contenir, from L. continere (transitive) "to hold together, enclose," from com- "together" + tenere "to hold" (see tenet). Containment as a foreign policy strategy is from 1947.
include or contain; have as a component; "A totally new idea is comprised in this paper"; "The record contains many old songs from the 1930's" [syn: incorporate]
2.
contain or hold; have within; "The jar carries wine"; "The canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water" [syn: hold]
3.
lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger" [syn: control]
4.
be divisible by; "24 contains 6"
5.
be capable of holding or containing; "This box won't take all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon"
6.
hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of; "Arrest the downward trend"; "Check the growth of communism in South East Asia"; "Contain the rebel movement"; "Turn back the tide of communism" [syn: check]
Con*tain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contained; p. pr. & vb. n. Containing.] [OE. contenen, conteinen, F. contenir, fr. L. continere, -tentum; con- + tenere to hold. See Tenable, and cf. Countenance.]1. 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. 2. To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks. 3. 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.
Con*tent"\ (k[o^]n*t[e^]nt"), a. [F. content, fr. L. contentus, p. p. of contenire to hold together, restrain. See Contain.] Contained within limits; hence, having the desires limited by that which one has; not disposed to repine or grumble; satisfied; contented; at rest. Having food and rai ment, let us be therewith content. --1 Tim. vi. 8.
Con"ti*nent\, a. [L. continens, -entis, prop., p. pr. of continere to hold together, to repress: cf. F. continent. See Contain.]1. Serving to restrain or limit; restraining; opposing. [Obs.] --Shak. 2. Exercising restraint as to the indulgence of desires or passions; temperate; moderate. Have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower. --Shak. 3. Abstaining from sexual intercourse; exercising restraint upon the sexual appetite; esp., abstaining from illicit sexual intercourse; chaste. My past life Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true, As I am now unhappy. --Shak. 4. Not interrupted; connected; continuous; as, a continent fever. [Obs.] The northeast part of Asia is, if not continent with the west side of America, yet certainly it is the least disoined by sea of all that coast. --Berrewood.
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