▪ I. † maintain, n. Obs.
In 5 maynten(e, -teyn(e, -teygne, -tyen(e, -tiene, 6 maintene, -taine.
[f. next vb., after F. maintien.]
1. Bearing, deportment, behaviour.
| 1470–85 Malory Arthur v. ii. 163 He..holdeth the most noble courte of the world, alle other kynges ne prynces maye not compare vnto his noble mayntene. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (ed. Sommer) 124 He had not the maynteygne of a yoman or of a seruaunt. Ibid. 130 [She] began to wexe reed and to lese her mayntyene and contenance whan she sawe hym. 1481 ― Myrr. iii. x. 153 Atte longe, Nature may not suffre dyuerse mayntenes vnresonable. c 1500 Melusine 202 The king recomforted his peuple by his wo[r]þy contenaunce & valyaunt maynten. 1578 Proctor's Gorg. Gallery N iv, Joy were to here their prety wordes, and sweet mamtam [? read maintain] to see, And how all day they passe the time, til darknes dimmes the skye. |
2. Maintenance, support.
| 1483 in Rymer Foedera XII. (1711) 174/1 To the upholde, maynteyne and encrease of their both Estatis against alle Persones. 1599 Porter Angry Wom. Abingt. (Percy Soc.) 16 The mettell of our minds, Having the temper of true reason in them, Affoordes a better edge of argument For the maintaine of our familiar loues Then the soft leaden wit of women can. |
▪ II. maintain, v.
(meɪnˈteɪn, mənˈteɪn)
Forms: 3–6 mainten(e, maynten(e, 4–5 maynetene, 4–6 mein-, meyntene, 4–5 meynetene, 4–6 mantene, 6 Sc. manteane, 4–5 mentene, -teene; 3–7 main-, mayntein(e, -teyn(e, 5–6 mainteigne, 4–6 mein-, meyntein(e, -teyn(e, 4–5 meyneteyne, 3–6 mantein(e, -teyn(e, 6 manteigne, 4–6 menteyn(e, -teine; 4–5 mayntyn(e, maintiene, meintiene, 6–7 Sc. mantine; 4–6 Sc. man-, maynteme, -teym(e; 5 mayntan; 5–7 main-, mayntayn(e, -taine, 6 man-, mainetayne, 4–6 mentayne, 8 Sc. mentain, 6– maintain.
[ME. maintene, -teine, a. F. maintenir (OF. 3 sing. pres. ind. -tient, -tent, subj. -teigne, -tiegne), = Pr. mantener, mentener, Sp. mantener, Pg. manter, It. mantenere:—L. phrase manū tenēre, lit. ‘to hold in one's hand’ (manū abl. of manus hand; tenēre to hold). Cf. Du. mainteneeren (from Fr.).]
† 1. trans. To practise habitually (an action, a virtue or vice); to observe (a rule, custom). Obs.
| a 1250 Owl & Night. (Cotton) 759 Ich kan wit and song manteine [Jesus MS. reads mony eine] Ne triste ich to non oþer maine. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6558 Þou art vnbuxum, And manteynest an euyl custum. a 1340 Hampole Psalter xxvii. 5 Þa sall þai be punyst þat first fyndes þaim, and all þat oyses þaim & mayntens þaim [sc. ill deeds]. c 1375 Cursor M. 2454 (Fairf.) Þa folk ware fulle of misdede and maynteined wrang and wikkedhede. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2049 How þai maintene þere malis with manas & pride. 1550 Crowley Last Trumpet 1287 Thou wilt..mayntayne outragiouse playe, Tyl thou haue spent both lande and fee. 1611 Bible Titus iii. 14 And let ours also learne to maintaine good workes [Gr. καλῶν ἔργων προίστασθαι] for necessarie vses, that they be not vnfruitfull. |
2. † a. gen. To go on with, continue, persevere in (an undertaking). Also occas. to go on with the use of (something). Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce ii. 189 Frendis, and frendschip purchesand, To maynteym that he had begunnyn. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 920 A proud despitous man That wol maynteyne that he first bigan. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 14 Lest they sholde waxe feble afterwarde, and so to be not able to mayntayne theyr iourney. 1545 R. Ascham Toxoph. To Gentlem. Eng. (Arb.) 19 Some shooters take in hande stronger bowes, than they be able to mayntayne. |
b. To carry on, keep up, prosecute (a war, fight, siege, contest).
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 3002 How here walles were broke..þat þei miȝt no more meintene þe sege. 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 184 Quhill at thar rout,..Cum for to maynteme the melle. Ibid. xiii. 280 Thai that wicht war and hardy,..At gret myschef mantemyt the ficht. a 1400 R. Brunne's Chron. Wace (Rolls) 5464 Y schal vndertake [Petyt MS. sall maynten forþe] þys were. c 1400 Rom. Rose 3550, I pray you..For to mayntene no lenger here, Such cruel werre agayn your man. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 137 Than had Charles Duke of Savoye, a certen space maynteyned warre against the Citie of Geneva. 1665 Manley Grotius' Low C. Warres 277 To..raise a Siege which is so strongly setled and maintained. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 128 Long the doubtful Combat they maintain, 'Till one prevails (for one can only Reign). 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xxix, It is false..I..will maintain the combat with him that shall call it true. |
c. To carry on (an action at law); to have ground for sustaining (an action).
| 1463–4 Rolls of Parlt. V. 506/2 To haue and maynten Action or Actions of Dette. 1512 Act 3 Hen. VIII, c. 1 §4 Any maner of accion..to be..mayntened ayenst any of the Kingis Subgiettes. 1620 J. Wilkinson Coroners & Sherifes 67 No sherife shall suffer a Barreter to maintaine any actions or quarrels in their countie courts. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 417 This Court granted an injunction against him, though no action whatsoever could be maintained at law. 1892 Law Times Rep. LXVII. 142/1 In order to maintain an action of deceit there must be moral delinquency on the part of the person proceeded against. |
d. To continue in, preserve, retain (a physical or mental condition, a position, attitude, etc.), in spite of disturbing influences.
| 1837 Disraeli Venetia i. x, Lady Annabel for some time maintained complete silence. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. i. 10 The old English organization maintained its full activity. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) III. xi. 3 The English writers maintain a sort of sullen silence. 1879 R. K. Douglas Confucianism iii. 72 The Sage..maintains a perfect uprightness and pursues the heavenly way without the slightest deflection. 1898 [G. W. E. Russell] Coll. & Recoll. x. 131 Amidst all this hurly burly Pitt maintained a stately..reserve. |
e. To keep up (friendly relations, correspondence).
| 1622 Bacon Hen. VII 240 When they [sc. ambassadors] were returned, they did commonly maintaine Intelligence with him. 1706 Hearne Collect. 2 Apr. (O.H.S.) I. 215 He is..much addicted to maintain Correspondence. 1718 Freethinker No. 79 ¶5 A brotherly Correspondence was maintained with all the Foreign Protestant Churches. |
† 3. To keep a stock of. Obs. rare—1. [A frequent sense in OFr.]
| c 1483 Caxton Dialogues 6/29 Who wyne wyll mayntene Behoueth to haue selers And a lowe chambre. |
4. a. To keep up, preserve, cause to continue in being (a state of things, a condition or activity, etc.); to keep vigorous, effective, or unimpaired; to guard from loss or derogation.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 60 Eldolf, bisshop of Bath, þe pes mayntend & helde. c 1350 Will. Palerne 2676 Meyntenes ȝit ȝoure manchip manli a while. 1375 Barbour Bruce xx. 605 The law sa weill mantemyt he, And held in pess swa the cuntre. c 1440 York Myst. xvii. 310, I rede we reste a thrawe, For to maynteyne our myght. a 1535 More Edw. V (1641) 29 He..had holpe to maintaine a long continued grudge. 1581 Mulcaster Positions vi. (1887) 42 How health is maintained, and disease auoided. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxx. 175 It is the Office of the Soveraign, to maintain those Rights entire. 1675 H. Nevile tr. Machiavelli's Prince iii. (1883) 16 Maintaining to them their old condition. 1742 Hume Ess. i. v. (1777) I. 35 All men are sensible of the necessity of justice to maintain peace and order. 1855 Bain Senses & Int. ii. i. §6 (1864) 77 Nervous influence is required for maintaining the breathing action. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xi. III. 43 All that was necessary for the purpose of maintaining military discipline. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 28 As he had a reputation to maintain. |
b. With concrete obj.: To preserve in existence.
| 1659 Pearson Creed (1839) 220 We are still preserved by his power, and as he made us, so doth he maintain us. 1715 De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. i. (1841) I. 17 And the same power preserves and maintains all things. |
5. a. To cause to continue in a specified state, relation, or position, † to secure the continuance of (a possession) to a person (obs.); to secure (a person) in continued possession of property.
| 1300–1400 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) App. XX. 70 Þe amperesse..made him oþ swere To meinteini engelond to hure. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 24 To procure, norische, & meyntene cristen soulis in good gouernaile and holy lif. 1800 Addison Amer. Law Rep. 274 Young contended that M{supc}Culloch..ought to be maintained in possession of the land. 1874 Carpenter Ment. Phys. i. ii. §68 (1879) 71 The limb was maintained in this state of tension for several seconds. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 72/2 That the tools shall be maintained in proper position upon the rest. |
b. Comm. To keep (stock) from decline in price.
| 1881 Daily News 8 July 6/1 American railroads are not quite maintained. 1892 Daily Tel. 5 Sept. 4/6 Consols rose 1/8 per cent. and English railways were maintained. |
† 6. To keep in good order, to rule, sway (a people, country); to preserve in (a state of peace, etc.). Obs.
| c 1375 Lay Folks Mass Bk. (MS. B.) 365 Þat þai be wele mayntenande hore states in alle godnesse, and reule þo folk in rightwisnesse. 1375 Barbour Bruce xiii. 709 God grant that thai..maynteyme the land, And hald the folk weill to warrand. Ibid. xvi. 34 Vardanis in [his] absens maid he, For till manteym weill the cuntre. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxvi. 228, I have..maynteyned the countre in peace & rest and good iustyce. 1535 Coverdale Ecclus. xxxviii. 32 Without these maye not the cities be manteyned, inhabited ner occupied. 1602 S. Patericke (title) A Discovrse vpon the meanes of wel governing and maintaining in good peace, a Kingdome, or other Principalitie. |
† 7. refl. a. To bear or conduct oneself (in a specified manner). Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce ii. 486 Bot always, as A man off mayn, He mayntemyt him full manlyly. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xiv. 155 Thei gon often tyme in sowd, to help of other Kynges, in here Werres..: and thei meyntenen hem self right vygouresly. 1481 Caxton Godfrey lxxvi. heading, How Tancre mayntenyd hym moche wel in conqueryng contrees. 1530 Palsgr. 617/1 You shall se me mayntayne my selfe so honestly that you shall prayse me. |
† b. To continue in an action or state; to keep oneself resolutely in a specified state (indicated by adj. complement). Obs.
| 1481 Caxton Godfrey clxxviii. 262 They shold alle goo vnto the mount of Olyuet, And they shold mayntene them this day in fastyng. 1597 Bacon Ess., Faction (Arb.) 76 Great men that haue strength in themselues were better to maintaine themselues indifferent and neutrall. |
8. a. To support (one's state in life) by expenditure, etc. b. To sustain (life) by nourishment.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 779 The king,..to manteym his stat, him gaff Rentis and landis fair eneuch. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 583 Of his chambre he made hym a Squier And gaf him gold to mayntene his degree. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 39 He hath not yerely revenues to maynteyn honorably and convenyently the astate of a Duke. 1584 Cogan Haven Health iii. (1636) 23 Nature hath taught all living creatures to seeke by sustenance to maintaine their lives. 1592 Nobody & Someb. in Simpson Sch. Shaks. I. 289 Nobody takes them in, provides them harbor, Maintaines their ruind fortunes at his charge. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, vi. x. 24 Sufficeth, that I haue maintaines my state. 1614 Earl Stirling Doomes-day viii. xii. (1637) 169 Whil'st old (and poore perchance) with toyle and strife, Glad (by his labour) to maintaine his life. 1647–8 Sir C. Cotterell Davila's Hist. Fr. (1678) 11 Finding the narrowness of his fortune could not maintain the greatness of his Birth. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. i. 52 The first condition of a worthy life was the ability to maintain it in independence. 1856 Sir B. Brodie Psychol. Inq. I. v. 187 Food is required because life cannot be maintained without it. |
† c. To bear the expense of, afford. Obs.
| ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 1144 And Richesse mighte it wel sustene And hir dispenses wel mayntene. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. v. i. 79 What cernes it you, if I weare Pearle and gold: I thank my good Father, I am able to maintaine it. 1605 Lond. Prodigal i. i, But honesty maintains not a French hood, Goes very seldom in a chain of gold. |
9. a. To provide with livelihood; to furnish with means of subsistence or necessaries of life; to bear the expenses of (a person) for living, education, etc. Also, † to keep (a person) in (clothing).
| a 1400 Cursor M. 28961 (Cott. Galba) For ay þe more man is of elde, þe more men aw..for to do him almus dede and mayntene him for sawl mede. 1487 Dietary 60 in Barbour's Bruce, etc. (1870) 539 Eftir thi power maynteme ay thi houshald. 1546 Supplic. Poore Commons (E.E.T.S.) 80 Suche possessioners as..vsed to maintain their owne chyldren, and some of ours, to lernyng. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. i. ii. 6 These people doe mainteine themselues with rootes of hearbes,..and whale fish. 1676 Lady Chaworth in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 31 [It] frights Sir Carr Scrope..from marying her, saying his estate will scarce maintaine her in clothes. 1709 Tatler No. 101 ¶1, 150l. per Annum, which would very handsomely maintain me and my little family. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones xviii. vii, I believe you bred the young man up, and maintained him at the university. 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 58 A time there was, ere England's griefs began, When every rood of ground maintained its man. 1816 Scott Antiq. xxvi, I maun hae a man that can mainteen his wife. 1838 James Robber vii, Sufficient to maintain me in comfort and independence as a gentleman. |
† b. To provide for the ‘keep’ of (an animal).
| 1576 Fleming tr. Caius' Dogs iv. (1880) 28 And therfore were certain dogges founde and maintained at the common costes and charges of the Citizens of Rome in the place called Capitolium. 1672 Petty Pol. Anat. (1691) 53 An Ox of 6 or 7 years old..will be maintained with two Acres of good Pasture. |
c. To give a drug to (an individual, esp. a drug addict) in maintenance doses so as to sustain a particular therapeutic effect. Cf. maintenance 7 c.
| 1957 Jrnl. Amer. Med. Assoc. 14 Dec. 1970/1 The current discussion..can be reduced to the desirability and feasibility of treating the addict as a total person,..withdrawing drugs.., or of maintaining him on an appropriate amount of drugs if it is determined he cannot be successfully cured of his addiction. 1971 Nature 22 Oct. 558/2 The recipient dogs were anaesthetized with intravenous thiopentone and maintained with halothane, nitrous oxide and oxygen through an endotracheal tube. 1972 Science 26 May 881/1 In April 1971, a program was inaugurated to maintain at least 20,000 addicts on methadone in New York State alone. |
10. a. To pay for the keeping up of, bear the expense of; to keep supplied or equipped (e.g. a ship, a garrison); to keep (a light) burning by supply of fuel; to keep (a road, building) in repair.
| 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 27 Þis light þey hoten & a-vowed to kepyn & myntenyn [sic]. Ibid. 62 To meyteyn [sic] wit-al a lythe brennynge in ye chyrche of sent Jame. 1533–4 Act 25 Hen. VIII, c. 8 Euerie person..hauinge anie of the saide landes..shall..sufficiently meintein the pauement of the said waye. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 227 Witht tua schipis weill mantenitt and artaillzeit. 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa v. 237 Here is an hospitall maintained at the common charges of the towne, to entertaine strangers that passe by. 1611 Bible 1 Esdras iv. 52 Tenne talents yeerely, to maintaine the burnt offerings vpon the Altar euery day. 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 55 The States maintained some men of warre in this Inland Sea. a 1687 Petty Pol. Arith. (1690) 77 The annual charge of maintaining the Shipping of England, by new Buildings and Preparations. 1707 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. iii. ix. 341 They..maintain Lectures upon the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, almost every Lord's Day Evening. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 280 Strong forts erected..and strong garrisons maintained in them. 1846 J. Baxter Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4) II. 233 Stone, wood, and iron, are the materials principally employed in making and maintaining roads. 1861 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 48 The Germans..maintained in it [this church] an altar. |
b. To furnish the means for conducting (a suit or action at law). Cf. 12 d.
| [c 1380: see 11.] 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 9 §3 That no maner of personne..doo herafter unlaufully maineteyne or cause or procure any unlaufull mayntenance in any action. 1769 Blackstone Comm. IV. 134 A man may however maintain the suit of his near kinsman, servant, or poor neighbour, out of charity and compassion, with impunity. 1843 Meeson & Welsby's Excheq. Rep. (1844) XI. 676 The defendants resisted and maintained, supported, &c. such defences and resistance. |
11. To back up, stand, give one's support to, defend, uphold (a cause, something established, one's side or interest, etc.).
| c 1320 Sir Beues (A.) 4123 We redeþ meintene ȝour parti. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 6528 Þe Frensche..rysen aȝeyn Conan to fight; Bot Conan meyntende wel his right. 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 289 He hyet honor and largess, And ay mantemyt richtwisnes. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 322 Alle þat taken and meyntenen false causes ben cursed grevously... Also lordis holdynge grete lovedaies, and bi here lordischip meyntenenge þe fals pert, for money frendischip or favour, fallen opynly in þis curs, and so don men of lawe, wiþ alle false witnesses þat meyntenen falsenesse aȝenst treuþe, wityngly or unwittyngly. c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 747 Vertew dyd hys besy peyne Pepyll to reyse hys quarell to menteyne. c 1440 York Myst. xxxviii. 11, 13 Þat we mayntayne and stand þerby þat werke all-way. Cayph. Ȝis, sir, þat dede schall we mayntayne, By lawe it was done all be-dene. 1482 Surtees Misc. (1888) 40 Every trew Cristen man..is bunden forto supporte and maynteyn y⊇ trewth. 1513 Douglas æneis xi. xii. 114 By hurtis feill for to manteym thar rycht. 1535 Coverdale Ps. ix. 4 For thou hast manteyned my right and my cause. 1558 Knox First Blast (Arb.) 8 Suche as oght to mainteine the truth and veritie of God. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 122 The true & holsome doctrine is..every where oppressed,..and open crymes mainteined. 1638 R. Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. II.) 16 The cause I maintaine is the cause of my Prince and Country. 1667 Milton P.L. vi. 30 Who single hast maintaind Against revolted multitudes the Cause Of Truth. 1678 Butler Hud. iii. iii. 584 H' had..us'd two equal ways of gaining: By hindring Justice, or maintaining. 1792 Burke Let. to Sir H. Langrishe Wks. 1842 I. 548 First, the king swears he will maintain, to the utmost of his power, ‘the laws of God’. |
12. a. To uphold, back up, stand by, support the cause of (a person, party, etc.); to defend, protect, assist; to support or uphold in (an action). arch.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 7374 His sede and his barntem Ouer al men i sal maintein. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 16661 Cadwaladre bad Iuor his sone, & Iny his neuew, ‘wende & wone In to Bretaigne, & meintene efte Þo þat were of Bretons lefte’. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 1108 Or he sal þe tane of þam mayntene And þe tother despyse [Matt. vi. 24]. c 1350 Will. Palerne 2698 Sche..preyed ful pitousli to þe prince of heuene,..to mayntene hire & help, þat hire foos for no cas wiþ fors hire conquerede. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxvi. 96 To mayntene vs euermore ye aw. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xv. i, To mayntene his neuewe ageynst the myghty Erle. 1530 Palsgr. 438/2, I assyste, or stande by, or mayntayne a person in doynge of a dede. a 1553 Udall Royster D. v. v. (Arb.) 84 We must to make vs mirth, maintaine hym all we can. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 383 One frend to take another frendes part, to defend and maintaine him against backbiting. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, i. i. 161 Iesu maintaine your Royall Excellence. a 1604 Hanmer Chron. Irel. (1633) 31 His three sonnes..formerly went into Ireland to maintaine one of the factions. 1625 Bacon Ess., Friendship (Arb.) 171 He..would often maintaine Plantianus, in doing Affronts to his Son. 1883 Gardiner Hist. Eng. II. xix. 328 In spite of all, James was still ready to maintain Somerset against his ill-willers in public, if he expostulated with him in private. |
† b. In bad sense: To give support or countenance to evil-doers; to aid or abet in (wrong-doing); to back up in (error or wickedness). Obs.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 232 To meyntene misdoers meede thei taken. 1377 Ibid. B. iii. 90 Of alle suche sellers syluer to take,..Ringes or other ricchesse, the regrateres to maynetene. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 323 Officeris þat meyntenen oþere men in synne. 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iii. 311 Thus is the lawe louyd thoru myȝhty lordis willys, That meyneteyne myssdoers more than other peple. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxxiv. 155 A fende..tellez þam many thinges,..for to mayntene þam in þaire mawmetry and þaire errour. c 1430 Freemasonry 255 To lere him so that for no mon No fals mantenans he take hym apon Ny maynteine hys felows yn here synne For no good that he myȝht wynne. 1528 Northumberland in St. Papers Hen. VIII, IV. 514 Also I can not perceyve that any redresse can be maid uppon the Borders, for the Kyng of Scottes doth maynteyn all the theves and rebelles of the same. 1552 Latimer Serm. Lincolnsh. iii. (1562) 81 O crafty deuil: he went away, not for feare of the holy water, but because he would mayntaine men in errour and foolishnes. |
† c. With inf.: To assist, encourage, incite (to do something, esp. something evil), to support or uphold (in doing it). Obs.
| c 1325 Poem times Edw. II (Percy Soc.) xxxvii, He shal be maintend full wel To lede a sory life. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 145 Prouendreres, persuns, preostes heo meynteneth, To holde lemmons and lotebyes al heor lyf-dayes. Ibid. A. iv. 42 He meynteneth his men to morthere myn owne. 1393 Ibid. C. xviii. 234 The pope..That with moneye menteyneth men to werren vp-on cristine. 1546 J. Alen in St. Papers Hen. VIII, III. 577 The Justices nephew maynteyned the burgesses of the Newcastell, to take from me a parcell of pasture. 1626 Scogin's Jests in Hazl. Shaks. Jest-bks. (1864) 124 When the king's servants had espied him, they did maintaine their dogges to runne at Scogin. |
d. Law. To give support to (a suitor) in an action in which one is not concerned. Cf. 10 b; also maintenance 6.
| 1716 W. Hawkins Pleas Crown i. 249 Of this second kind of Maintenance there seem to be three Species:..2. Where one maintains one Side, to have Part of the Thing in Suit, which is called Champerty. Ibid. 252 A Man may lawfully maintain those who are infeoffed of Lands in Trust for him in any Action concerning those Lands. 1836 Bingham's New Cases Comm. Pleas II. 650 The Defendant..has voluntarily and officiously undertaken to maintain the Plaintiff in a suit with which the Defendant has no connection. 1886 Law Rep. 17 Q.B.D. 504 The present action was brought by the plaintiff against the defendant to recover the 118l. on the ground that he had ‘maintained’ Nailer in the former action. |
13. To hold, keep, defend (a place, position, possession) against hostility or attack, actual or threatened. Phr. to maintain one's ground (often fig.). Also refl. = to make a stand, defend one's position; similarly † to maintain one's own.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 3642 William say þer oþer side of fers & so breme, þat his men miȝt nouȝt meyntene here owne. a 1400–50 Alexander 1972 Miȝt þou þe marches so Messedoyne mayntene þi-selfe. 1513 Douglas æneis iv. v. 81 And now that secund Paris,..By reif mantemys hir suld ouris be. 1595 Daniel Civ. Wars iv. xlvi. 75 b, Bedford who our onely hold maintaind. 1595 Shakes. John iii. iv. 136 A Scepter snatch'd with an vnruly hand Must be as boysterously maintain'd as gain'd. 1599 ― Hen. V, iii. vi. 95 Flu. The Duke of Exeter ha's very gallantly maintain'd the Pridge. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 217 A fort maintained by a small garrison of Moores. 1624 Fletcher Rule a Wife iii. v. (1640) 37 Leon... I stand upon the ground of mine own honor, And will maintaine it. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 15 There are four avenues cut through the Mountain, easie to be maintained. 1736 Butler Anal. i. iii. Wks. 1874 I. 63 In this case then, brute force might more than maintain its ground against reason. 1748 Gray Alliance 88 An Iron-race the mountain cliffs maintain. 1792 Anecd. W. Pitt I. xviii. 283 The King of Prussia, though surrounded by his numerous enemies, maintained himself with astonishing skill and valour. 1849 James Woodman iv, She maintained her ground, although the Moor rode close up to her with his companions. 1853 J. H. Newman Hist. Sk. (1873) II. i. iv. 178 Venice..by a system of jealous and odious tyranny,..continued to maintain its ground. 1893 Sir L. Griffin in 19th Cent. Nov. 684 Our subsidies and open support have enabled Abdur Rahman Khan to maintain himself against his many enemies. |
14. a. To support or uphold in speech or argument; to defend (an opinion, statement, tenet, etc.); to assert the truth of, contend to be true or right.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 3080 Yhit has men herd som clerkes maynte[ne] Swilk an opinion, als I wene, Þat a saule [etc.]. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 323 Clerkis þat don evyl and meyntene it bi sotilte of word. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. i. 5 Alle the othere vntrewe opiniouns and holdingis..muste needis..lacke it wherbi thei miȝten in eny colour or semyng be mentened, holde, and supported. c 1450 Pistill of Susan (MS. I) 220 Þies wordes þat we say, On þis womman verray, Þat wil we mayntan for aye. 1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. 19 Preamble, The seid Frensche Kyng..alway erronyously defendyng & maynteynyng his seid obstynate opynyons agayne the unitye of the holye Churche. 1530 Palsgr. 617/1 And he ones saye a thyng, he wyll mayntayne it to dye for it. 1616 R. C. Times' Whistle v. 2120 What phisitian..would..such a lye maintaine? 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxx. 180 The doctrines maintained by so many Preachers. 1686 A. Horneck Crucif. Jesus xi. 205 This point they do so stiffly, and so uncharitably maintain. 1772–84 Cook Voy. (1790) V. 1649 They also, in some degree, maintain our old doctrine of planetary influence. 1856 Whately Bacon's Ess. i. 10 It is not enough to believe what you maintain; you must maintain what you believe, and maintain it because you believe it. |
b. With clause: To affirm, assert, or contend (that). With obj. and infin.: To assert (something) to be (etc.); † also in passive.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 10 Ȝif þei seyn and meyntenen in scole and oþere placis þat þe wordis of holy writt ben false. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. iii. viii. §13 Because we maintaine that in scripture we are taught all things necessary vnto saluation. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. ii. 77, I haue heard him oft maintaine it to be fit, that [etc.]. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iii. xxiv. 169 Some [animals] there are in the Land which were never maintained to be in the Sea, as Panthers, Hyæna's [etc.]. 1652 Needham tr. Selden's Mare Cl. 203 It is mainteined by divers learned Men that these were the ruins of the same Tower. 1682 Dryden Medal 86 He..Maintains the Multitude can never err. 1729 Butler Serm. Wks. 1874 II. Pref. 24 The Epicureans..maintained that absence of pain was the highest happiness. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 195 The country, he maintained, would never be well governed till [etc.]. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 222 Pleasure and pain I maintain to be the first perceptions of children. |
† 15. ? To hold upright. Obs. rare—1.
| 1661 Morgan Sph. Gentry iii. vi. 61 Vert, a Flower-pot Argent maintaining Gilliflowers Gules. |
† 16. ? To stand for, represent. Obs. rare—1.
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 902 This side is Hiems, Winter, This Ver, the Spring: the one maintained by the Owle, Th' other by the Cuckow. |
Hence maintained ppl. a. maintained school (see quots.).
| 1944 in Parl. Papers 1943–4 (Cmd. 6523) (title) Principles of government in maintained secondary schools. 1960 Where? iii. 15/1 Maintained school, a school maintained by a local education authority, including county, voluntary aided, and voluntary controlled schools. 1966 Rep. Comm. Inquiry Univ. Oxf. I. 74 It is also likely that the swing to science has played some part in raising the rate of recruitment from maintained schools. 1973 Guardian 25 Apr. 15/4 The 12-man governing board of Sacred Heart (a Catholic maintained school). |