Search Result for "maintain": 
Wordnet 3.0

VERB (10)

1. keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep clean";
- Example: "hold in place"
- Example: "She always held herself as a lady"
- Example: "The students keep me on my toes"
[syn: keep, maintain, hold]

2. keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction;
- Example: "We preserve these archeological findings"
- Example: "The old lady could not keep up the building"
- Example: "children must be taught to conserve our national heritage"
- Example: "The museum curator conserved the ancient manuscripts"
[syn: conserve, preserve, maintain, keep up]

3. supply with necessities and support;
- Example: "She alone sustained her family"
- Example: "The money will sustain our good cause"
- Example: "There's little to earn and many to keep"
[syn: sustain, keep, maintain]

4. state categorically;
[syn: assert, asseverate, maintain]

5. have and exercise;
- Example: "wield power and authority"
[syn: wield, exert, maintain]

6. maintain for use and service;
- Example: "I keep a car in the countryside"
- Example: "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips"
[syn: keep, maintain]

7. maintain by writing regular records;
- Example: "keep a diary"
- Example: "maintain a record"
- Example: "keep notes"
[syn: keep, maintain]

8. state or assert;
- Example: "He maintained his innocence"
[syn: maintain, defend]

9. support against an opponent;
- Example: "The appellate court upheld the verdict"
[syn: uphold, maintain]

10. stick to correctly or closely;
- Example: "The pianist kept time with the metronome"
- Example: "keep count"
- Example: "I cannot keep track of all my employees"
[syn: observe, keep, maintain]



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Maintain \Main*tain\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Maintained; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Maintaining.] [OE. maintenen, F. maintenir,
   properly, to hold by the hand; main hand (L. manus) + F.
   tenir to hold (L. tenere). See Manual, and Tenable.]
   1. 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]

   2. To keep possession of; to hold and defend; not to
      surrender or relinquish.
      [1913 Webster]

            God values . . . every one as he maintains his post.
                                                  --Grew.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To continue; not to suffer to cease or fail.
      [1913 Webster]

            Maintain talk with the duke.          --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. 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.
                                                  --Stirling.
      [1913 Webster]

            What maintains one vice would bring up two children.
                                                  --Franklin.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. 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.                  --South.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To assert; vindicate; allege. See Assert.
        [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

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