contain

contain
[[t]kənte͟ɪn[/t]]
♦♦
contains, containing, contained
1) VERB: no cont If something such as a box, bag, room, or place contains things, those things are inside it.

[V n] The bag contained a Christmas card...

[V n] Factory shops contain a wide range of cheap furnishings...

[V n] The 77,000-acre estate contains five of the highest peaks in Scotland.

2) VERB: no cont If a substance contains something, that thing is a part of it.

[V n] Greek yogurt contains much less fat than double cream...

[V n] Many cars run on petrol which contains lead.

3) VERB: no cont If writing, speech, or film contains particular information, ideas, or images, it includes them.

[V n] This sheet contained a list of problems a patient might like to raise with the doctor...

[V n] The two discs also contain two of Britten's lesser-known song-cycles.

4) VERB: no cont If a group or organization contains a certain number of people, those are the people that are in it.

[V n] The committee contains 11 Democrats and nine Republicans.

5) VERB If you contain something, you control it and prevent it from spreading or increasing.

[V n] More than a hundred firemen are still trying to contain the fire at the plant...

[V n] The city authorities said the curfew had contained the violence.

Syn:
6) VERB If you cannot contain a feeling such as excitement or anger, or if you cannot contain yourself, you cannot prevent yourself from showing your feelings.

[V pron-refl] But he was bursting with curiosity, and one day he just couldn't contain himself. `What are you going to do?' he asked...

[V n] Evans could barely contain his delight: `I'm so proud of her,' he said.

7) → See also self-contained

English dictionary. 2008.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • contain — contain, hold, accommodate denote to have or be capable of having within. To contain is to have within or to have as an element, fraction, or part; to hold is to have the capacity to contain or to retain; thus, a bookcase that holds (is capable… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Contain — 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;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Contain — may refer to: Container (disambiguation) Containment (disambiguation) See also All pages beginning with Contain All pages with titles containing contain* Content (disambiguation) Include (disambiguation) …   Wikipedia

  • Contain — Con*tain , v. i. To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity. [1913 Webster] But if they can not contain, let them marry. 1 Cor. vii. 9. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • contain — [v1] include, hold accommodate, be composed of, comprehend, comprise, consist of, embody, embrace, enclose, encompass, have, have capacity for, hold, incorporate, involve, seat, subsume, take in; concepts 112,736,742 Ant. exclude contain [v2]… …   New thesaurus

  • contain — [kən tān′] vt. [ME conteinen < OFr contenir < L continere, to hold < com , together + tenere, to hold: see THIN] 1. to have in it; hold, enclose, or include [the can contains tea, the list contains 50 items] 2. to have the capacity for… …   English World dictionary

  • contain — I (comprise) verb be composed of, be compounded of, be constituted of, be formed of, capere, comprehendere, consist of, embody, embrace, enfold, envelop, hold, include, incorporate, number, reckon among, subsist of associated concepts: containing …   Law dictionary

  • contain — late 13c., from O.Fr. contein , stem of contenir, from L. continere (transitive) to hold together, enclose, from com together (see COM (Cf. com )) + tenere to hold (see TENET (Cf. tenet)). Related: Containable …   Etymology dictionary

  • contain — ► VERB 1) have or hold within. 2) control or restrain. 3) prevent (a problem) from becoming worse. DERIVATIVES containable adjective. ORIGIN Latin continere, from tenere to hold …   English terms dictionary

  • contain — containable, adj. /keuhn tayn /, v.t. 1. 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.… …   Universalium

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