'Contain' definitions:

Definition of 'contain'

From: WordNet
verb
Include or contain; have as a component; "A totally new idea is comprised in this paper"; "The record contains many old songs from the 1930's" [syn: incorporate, contain, comprise]
verb
Contain or hold; have within; "The jar carries wine"; "The canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water" [syn: hold, bear, carry, contain]
verb
Lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger" [syn: control, hold in, hold, contain, check, curb, moderate]
verb
Be divisible by; "24 contains 6"
verb
Be capable of holding or containing; "This box won't take all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon" [syn: contain, take, hold]
verb
Hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of; "Arrest the downward trend"; "Check the growth of communism in South East Asia"; "Contain the rebel movement"; "Turn back the tide of communism" [syn: check, turn back, arrest, stop, contain, hold back]

Definition of 'Contain'

From: GCIDE
  • 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; to include; to inclose; to hold. [1913 Webster]
  • Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can not contain thee; how much less this house! --2 Chron. vi. 18. [1913 Webster]
  • When that this body did contain a spirit. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • What thy stores contain bring forth. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds. [Obs., exept as used reflexively.] [1913 Webster]
  • The king's person contains the unruly people from evil occasions. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Contain'

From: GCIDE
  • 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]

Synonyms of 'contain'

From: Moby Thesaurus