retain

Word family

re·tain /rɪˈteɪn/ W3 AWL verb [transitiveT] formal

1 KEEP/CONTINUE TO HAVEto keep something or continue to have something 保留，保有；继续拥有

You have the right to retain possession of the goods.

你有权保留这些物品。

The state wants to retain control of food imports.

政府想保留对食品进口的控制权。

In everyday English, people usually say keep rather than retain: 在日常英语中，人们一般说keep，而不说retain

Keep all your receipts.

请保留所有的收据。

2 to store or keep something inside something else 保存，储存

A lot of information can be retained in your computer.

电脑可以储存很多信息。

Limestone is known to retain moisture.

人们知道石灰岩能储存水分。

3 to remember information 记住

I find it very difficult to retain facts.

我觉得具体事实很难记住。

4 PAY FORif you retain a lawyer or other specialist, you pay them to work for you now and in the future 聘请〔律师、专家〕

He has retained a lawyer to challenge the court’s decision.

他聘请了一名律师质疑法庭的判决。

We had to pay a retaining fee (=an amount of money to keep someone working for you).

我们必须预付聘金。

5 if a company retains workers, it continues to employ them for a long time 留用〔员工〕

It’s increasingly difficult to recruit and retain good staff.

招聘和留住优秀员工越来越难。

Examples from the Corpus

retain• It's important that you retain a sense of proportion when you're feeling depressed.• For some one who worked in what she believed to be such a hard-nosed profession he retained a sensitive streak.• The treaty would not allow any country to produce, acquire, or retain chemical weapons.• It is suggested that you retain copies of the documents for at least three years.• Robertson retained his post as Minister of Information.• If a symbol does not symbolize what one thinks good or true, there can be no reason to retain it.• It retained its pot-shape although the pot was gone.• Children would retain more if the summer vacation were shorter.• The town has retained much of its country charm.• Only four members of the original marketing team will be retained next year.• Florian's relatives will retain rights to the property.• Schools around the state say they're having a hard time attracting and retaining teachers, especially in certain fields.• The new design will be more modern, while retaining the graceful shape of the original.• However, some have retained the more traditional method of charging commission on transactions only.• The Commission retains the services of consultants in specialized fields.• The rims of the eyes also have this same bright blue, and they retain this coloration in the adult stage.

From Longman Business Dictionary

retainre·tain /rɪˈteɪn/ verb [transitiveT]

1to keep something or to continue to have it

A duplicate copy of the invoice will be retained for record purposes.

Following the merger, the family willretain a 1.9% stake in the company.

2HUMAN RESOURCES to continue to employ people after a company has changed ownership, reduced in size etc

The new company retained all the staff employed at the time of the takeover.

3if a company retains a lawyer or other specialist, it pays them to do work for it, now or in the future

The company will retain an auditing firm for six months to review its business practices.

Origin retain

(1300-1400) Old French retenir, from Latin retinere, from tenere “to hold”