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maintain - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'maintain' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Maintain [ v. t.]
- 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.
- To keep possession of; to hold and defend; not to surrender or relinquish.
- To continue; not to suffer to cease or fail.
- To bear the expense of; to support; to keep up; to supply with what is needed.
- To affirm; to support or defend by argument.

Meaning of 'maintain' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . maintain [ v]
Meaning (1):
- keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction
Example in sentence:
  • children must be taught to conserve our national heritage;
  • The museum curator conserved the ancient manuscripts;
  • The old lady could not keep up the building;
  • We preserve these archeological findings
Meaning (2):
- state or assert
Example in sentence:
  • He maintained his innocence
Meaning (3):
- cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., `keep clean'
Example in sentence:
  • hold in place;
  • She always held herself as a lady;
  • The students keep me on my toes
Meaning (4):
- stick to correctly or closely
Example in sentence:
  • I cannot keep track of all my employees;
  • keep count;
  • The pianist kept time with the metronome
Meaning (5):
- maintain for use and service
Example in sentence:
  • I keep a car in the countryside;
  • She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips
Meaning (6):
- maintain by writing regular records
Example in sentence:
  • keep a diary;
  • keep notes;
  • maintain a record
Meaning (7):
- supply with necessities and support
Example in sentence:
  • She alone sustained her family;
  • The money will sustain our good cause;
  • There's little to earn and many to keep
Meaning (8):
- support against an opponent
Example in sentence:
  • The appellate court upheld the verdict
Meaning (9):
- have and exercise
Example in sentence:
  • wield power and authority

Nearby Words:

maia maian maid maid's hair maiden maidenhair maidenhead maidenhood maidenlike maidenliness

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