Library / English Dictionary

CONTAIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of

Example:

Turn back the tide of communism

Synonyms:

arrest; check; contain; hold back; stop; turn back

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "contain" is one way to...):

defend (be on the defensive; act against an attack)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "contain"):

cut down; cut out (intercept (a player))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

containment (the act of containing; keeping something from spreading)

containment (a policy of creating strategic alliances in order to check the expansion of a hostile power or ideology or to force it to negotiate peacefully)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits

Example:

control your anger

Synonyms:

check; contain; control; curb; hold; hold in; moderate

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "contain" is one way to...):

hold back; keep; keep back; restrain (prevent the action or expression of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "contain"):

conquer; stamp down; subdue; suppress (bring under control by force or authority)

damp (restrain or discourage)

crucify; mortify; subdue (hold within limits and control)

abnegate; deny (deny oneself (something); restrain, especially from indulging in some pleasure)

train (cause to grow in a certain way by tying and pruning it)

catch (check oneself during an action)

bate (moderate or restrain; lessen the force of)

thermostat (control the temperature with a thermostat)

counteract; countercheck (oppose or check by a counteraction)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Include or contain; have as a component

Example:

The record contains many old songs from the 1930's

Synonyms:

comprise; contain; incorporate

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "contain" is one way to...):

include (have as a part, be made up out of)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 4

Meaning:

Contain or hold; have within

Example:

This can contains water

Synonyms:

bear; carry; contain; hold

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "contain" is one way to...):

include (have as a part, be made up out of)

Verb group:

contain; hold; take (be capable of holding or containing)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "contain"):

retain (hold back within)

confine; enclose; hold in (close in)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

container (any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another))

content (the amount that can be contained)

continent (having control over urination and defecation)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Be capable of holding or containing

Example:

The flask holds one gallon

Synonyms:

contain; hold; take

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "contain" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Verb group:

bear; carry; contain; hold (contain or hold; have within)

accommodate; admit; hold (have room for; hold without crowding)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Be divisible by

Example:

24 contains 6

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "contain" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Domain category:

arithmetic (the branch of pure mathematics dealing with the theory of numerical calculations)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

Furthermore, the results show that NM-MRI signal reflects concentrations of neuromelanin in tissue, rather than just the number of neuromelanin-containing neurons.

(Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI identified as a potential biomarker for psychosis, National Institutes of Health)

When asked how they would feel when put in this position themselves, those people shown a rejection containing an apology reported higher feelings of hurt.

(Sometimes You Shouldn't Say Sorry, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

It contains descriptions of species provided by researchers from all around Brazil and abroad.

(Report unveils 381 new plant and animal species in Amazon, Agência Brasil)

Detecting the smallest dark matter formations by looking for embedded stars can be difficult or impossible because they contain very few stars.

(Cosmic Magnifying Glasses Find Dark Matter in Small Clumps, NASA)

This test is the most sensitive and reliable field method available to chemically identify amanitin-containing mushrooms.

(New Test Identifies Poisonous Mushrooms, Agricultural Research Service)

Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply, but, unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

“It is no wonder that it did not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must have a look at it.”

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The diagrams, the violin-case, and the pipe-rack—even the Persian slipper which contained the tobacco—all met my eyes as I glanced round me.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

My bedroom at home was not large, yet it could have contained a dozen similar forecastles, and taking into consideration the height of the ceiling, a score at least.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

And the vision she had of the possible future, when the cabin might contain only Dennin and Hans, was an added horror.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)