contain, v.
(kənˈteɪn)
Forms: 3 conteini, 4 contenen, contienen, kunteyne, (pa. pple. y-contyened, y-contynent), 4–6 contene (chiefly Sc. and north.), 4–7 conteyn(e, contein(e, 5 Sc. conten, 6 contaigne, -teygne, Sc. -tean, 6–7 containe, -tayn(e, 7– contain.
[ME. contein-e(n, conten-e, a. OF. conten-ir (3rd pers. pres. Norman conten-t, conten-ent, subj. contene, -teigne) = Pr. contener, -ir, Sp. contener, It. contenēre:—L. continēre, to hold together, keep together, comprehend, contain, f. con- together + tenēre to hold.]
I. To have in it, to hold; to comprise, enclose.
1. a. trans. To have in it, to hold. (Said of a vessel, a space, or the like.)
| 1382 Wyclif Jer. ii. 13 Wastid cisternes, that contenen [1388 holde] watris moun not. c 1490 Promp. Parv. 91 (MS. K.) Conteynyn, hauyn or kepyn wit-innyn. c 1576 Thynne Ld. Burghley's Crest in Animadv. App. (1865) 115 In brittill glasse is wholsome wyne conteynde. 1673 Ray Journ. Low C. 64 The Juices..conteined in the Veins of the Earth. 1709 Pope Ess. Crit. 283 So vast a throng the stage can ne'er contain. 1860 Trench Serm. Westm. Ab. xx. 225 We were not formed to contain God's truth, but to be contained by it. |
b. To be capable of containing; to have capacity for: usually expressed by to hold.
| 1526–34 Tindale John ii. 6 And ther were stondynge theare sixe waterpottes of stone..contaynynge two or thre fyrkins a pece. And Jesus sayde vnto them: fyll the water pottes with water. 1530 Palsgr. 496/1 This pot contayneth eyght quartes. 1875 Ure Dict. Arts III. 1126 In the Wear the best coal is put into tubs, these are waggons without wheels, containing each 53 cwts. |
2. a. To have as part (or the whole) of its contents or substance; to comprise, include.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 999 Þe lawer werld..Contenes haly þe elementes alle. 1340 Ayenb. 118 Þe zeue benes þet byeþ y-contyened ine holi pater noster. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xiii. 58 In þis rewme of Surry er many rewmes contende. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxi. 211 He vnclosed the lettre and saw what was conteyned therin. 1509 Fisher Fun. Serm. C'tess Richmond Wks. 1876 I. 295 The crowne of our lady..after the manere of Rome conteyneth lx and thre aues. 1541 Bellenden Cron. Scot. Tabula sig. D iiij, The table..contenand the mater of euery buke. 1600 J. Hamilton (title) Facile Traictise, Contenant, first: ane infallible reul..Nixt, a Declaration, etc. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 305 And Grandsires Grandsons the long List contains. 1863 A. J. Horwood Year-bks. 30–31 Edw. I, Pref. 22 The volume..having once contained many more [pages] than it does now. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 18 The Laws..contain a few passages which are very grand and noble. |
b. Of a material body or substance: To have in it (as a constituent element, or in combination).
| 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters I. 84 Such waters as contain most air..are found the lightest and purest. 1831 J. Davies Manual Mat. Med. 273 Some of them contain besides, carbonic acid. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xx. 141 The rock..evidently contains a good deal of iron. |
† 3. a. To include, comprise, extend over, measure (so much space, time, or other magnitude). Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. vii. 56 As myche space as þe see and [the] mareys contenen and ouergon. c 1391 ― Astrol. i. §7 The space bytwene contieneth a Mile-wey. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. iii. vii. (1495) 53 Of all the fygures of the same lengthe the cercle is moost and most conteynyth. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. iii. iii. 171 Þe thryd elde..Contenys nyne hundyr yhere And twa. 1526–34 Tindale Acts i. 12 Then returned they..from mount-olivete, which is nye to Ierusalem, conteyninge a Saboth dayes iorney. [So 1557 Geneva.] 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. ii. (Arb.) 72 The Iland of Utopia, conteynethe in breadthe..cc miles. 1563 Shute Archit. E iv a, Tuscana conteineth in height .6. Diameters. 1697 Potter Antiq. Greece i. viii. (1715) 42 They were not exact Semicircles, but contain'd the bigger half of the Circle. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 263 That the first Story contain full 10 Foot in height. |
† b. intr. with of = prec. Obs. rare.
| 1660 H. Bloome Archit. B d, Regula under Astragulus containeth of one part. Ibid. C a, The Pillar with all his ornaments, containeth of 10 Diameters. |
c. Of a measure or magnitude: To comprise, be equal to (so much or so many of a smaller measure or magnitude, or a certain fraction of a larger).
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 235 (Mätz.) A cubite of gemetrie conteyneþ sixe comoun cubites. c 1391 Chaucer Astrol. i. §8 A degre of a signe contieneth 60 Mynutis. 1611 Bible Ezek. xlv. 11 That the Bath may containe the tenth part of an Homer. 1875 Ure Dict. Arts III. 1123 In Ireland the perch contains 7 yards, and the mile 2240. Mod. A pound avoirdupois contains 7000 grains. |
† 4. To take up, occupy. (Cf. comprise 4 c.)
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iii. 453 For þer was som Epistel..Þat walde as seith myn auctour wele contene Neigh half þis boke. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 108/2 Yf I shold here expresse alle the myracles..It shold conteyne an hole volume. 1598 R. Barckley Felic. Man iii. (1603) 150 That matter alone would containe a reasonable volume. 1736 Swift Let. 15 May, A complete history of the..absurd proceedings in this kingdom would contain twelve large volumes in folio. |
† 5. a. To enclose (so much space, etc.). Said of a boundary line, or of a person. Obs.
| 1490 Caxton Eneydos vii. heading, How dydo..boughte as moche londe..as she myghte conteyne wythin the space of the hide of an oxe. c 1500 Melusine 44 The grete compace of the ledder [thong], which conteyned wel the space of two mylles of grounde. |
b. pass. Of a space, region, etc.: To be comprehended, included, or intercepted (within a certain space, between certain limits).
| c 1391 Chaucer Astrol. ii. §39 The arch meridian þat is contiened or [inter]cept by-twixe the cenyth and the equinoxial. 1530 Palsgr. 34 The countreys that be conteygned betwene the ryver of Seyne & the ryver of Loyrre. 1584 D. Powel Lloyd's Cambria 1 That part conteined betweene the French Seas. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 184 The kingdome..was contained within the bounds of the lesser Asia. Mod. The Asteroids revolve in the space contained between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. |
6. Math. a. Geom. To enclose, include, form the boundary of (a figure, an angle); in pass. formerly to be contained under.
A rectangle is still said to be contained under the two lines which form its length and breadth; so † transf. a composite number was formerly said to be contained under its factors.
b. Arith. and Alg. To have as a factor or sub-multiple; to be divisible by, without remainder (also, less strictly, with a remainder). In pass. (const. in): To divide, ‘go into’ (without, or less strictly with, a remainder).
| 1570 Billingsley Euclid i. def. ix, If the lines which containe the angle be right lynes, then it is called a right⁓lyned angle. Ibid. def. xv, A circle is a plaine figure conteyned under one line, which is called a circumference. Ibid. vii. def. xix. 187 A square number is that..which is contayned vnder two equall numbers. 1571 Digges Pantom. iv. xvi. T ij b, Icosaedron is a solide Figure, vnder twentye equall equiangle triangles conteyned. 1594 Blundevil Exerc. i. v. (ed. 7) 17 Aske how many times 9 is contayned in 29. 1660 Barrow Euclid i. axiom xiv, Two right lines do not contain a space. Ibid. i. prop. xlvi. note, A Rectangle contained under two right lines given. Ibid. xi. def. ix, Like solid figures are such as are contained under like Planes equal in number. 1823 H. J. Brooke Introd. Crystallogr. 123 The new figures would be contained within 24 isosceles triangular planes. 1875 Todhunter Algebra (ed. 7) lii. §709 We have to find the highest power of 2 which is contained in {fact} 14..thus the required power is 11. |
† 7. To include, comprehend (in writing, under a title, division, etc.). Obs.
| 1548 Turner Names of Herbes 74 Many learned men contayne the red Mynt..under Sisymbrio. 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. i. 28 He conteineth both these pointes in his law. 1652 Needham tr. Selden's Mare Cl. 83 The Isles and the Sea it self might bee conteined here, as particular parts of the Government or Province. 1666 Earl of Orrery State Lett. (1743) II. 99 The proclamation may also contain, that, if any one fails therein, etc. |
II. To hold together; to keep under control, restrain, restrict, confine.
† 8. To hold together; to sustain. Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. xii. 102 Yif þere ne were oon þat contened[e] þat he haþ conioigned and ybounde. 1579 Fenton Guicciard. 1123 The army was at a maze where to seeke vittells to conteine the bodies which the stroke of diseases had yet left on live. |
† 9. To hold (in a certain estimation). Obs. rare.
| 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster v. i. 37 The dull detractions Of leaden souls; who..Contain her worthiest prophets in contempt. |
† 10. To keep or retain in a certain state or order, under control, in subjection, etc. Obs.
| 1538 Starkey England i. i. 10 By lyke wysdome they must be conteynyd and kept therin. Ibid. i. iv. 110 Al such lawys..wych conteyne the pepul in gud ordur and rule. 1598 R. Barckley Felic. Man i. (1603) 28 That the sight and horror thereof..might contayne them in modestie. 1649 Selden Laws Eng. i. xxxviii. (1739) 58 A fair opportunity of containing them for ever under their awe. 1705 Stanhope Paraphr. III. 409 The Ceremonial Law..was given to contain the Israelites in their Duty. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. xii. (1792) II. 85 It was almost impossible that he could at once contain in obedience every part of his wide-extended dominions. 1831 Sir W. Hamilton Discuss. (1852) 396 To contain his pupils within statutory regulations. |
† 11. a. To restrain, hold in, keep in check; to hold back, keep back, hinder (from an action, etc.) Obs.
| 1523 St. Papers Hen. VIII, VI. 119 The same shal do grete good for conteyning of the Swicer. 1596 Spenser State Irel. Wks. (Globe) 614/1 To contayne the unruly people from a thousand evill occasions. 1625 Bacon Ess., Anger (Arb.) 567 To containe Anger from Mischiefe. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xviii, Covenants being but words and breath, have no force to oblige, contain, constrain, or protect any man. 1791 Burke App. Whigs Wks. VI. 94 The principles and opinions, which have hitherto guided and contained the world. |
b. To restrain, put restraint on, repress (one's feelings, passions, etc.).
| c 1611 Chapman Iliad iii. 198 One that was my brother-in-law, when I contain'd my blood, And was more worthy. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 97 Scarce can their Limbs, their mighty Souls contain. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 438 ¶1 To contain the Spirit of Anger. |
c. To confine (an enemy force) to a particular area so that it cannot break out and operate elsewhere. Also in ppl. adj., as containing force.
| 1899 Westm. Gaz. 21 Nov. 5/3 The opinion is now generally entertained in Sir George White's camp that only a containing force has been left outside Ladysmith, and that the bulk of the Boer commandos have moved south. Ibid. 23 Nov. 5/1 It is obviously impossible for Joubert to be able to contain White at Ladysmith, Hildyard at Estcourt, and Clery at Maritzburg. 1900 H. A. Gwynne in J. Ralph War's Brighter Side (1901) 174 Infantry will be used for two purposes—to contain the opposing infantry, and to hold positions seized by the mobile portion of the force. 1904 Westm. Gaz. 11 Aug. 7/2 The Japanese, having left a containing force at An-shan-shan, are advancing with their principal force to the east. 1940 War Illustr. 19 Jan. 630/3 The two great [mine] fields which ‘contained’ the German submarine fleet. |
d. To keep (a hostile nation, ideology, etc.) within limits; to prevent expansion or encroachment into new territory.
| 1948 Manch. Guardian Weekly 8 Jan. 4 The expansion of Soviet power that..must be ‘contained’. 1952 Ann. Reg. 1951 138 The most that could be claimed was that the Communists had been ‘contained’. 1959 N.Z. Listener 16 Apr. 6/3 The Korean War, fought for the limited objective of containing Communism in an area where it has attempted to extend itself by military means. |
† 12. To restrict, limit, confine. (Also refl.) Obs.
| 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 148 Them that haue conteined themselues, within the bandes of reason. 1602 Hist. Eng. in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) II. 415 My desire to contain the work within some reasonable proportion. 1705 Stanhope Paraphr. II. 215 To contain themselves within the limits mark'd out for their Christian Course. 1816 Mackintosh Bacon & Locke Wks. I. 336 To excite a fearless spirit of inquiry, and yet to contain it within the boundaries which Nature has prescribed. |
† 13. a. To retain, keep, keep in, confine (within limits of space); also refl. to confine oneself, remain, ‘keep’. Obs.
| c 1565 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (1728) 9 To pass homeward to Edinburgh, there to contain himself till he was further advised. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 137 William consulted with Lanfranc how he might conteine that treasure within the Realme. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 50 And others, when the bag-pipe sings i'th nose, Cannot containe their Vrine. 1640 F. Hawkins Youth's Behav. i. §14 (1663) 3 Wriggle not thyself, as seeming unable to contain thyself within thy skin. a 1674 Clarendon Hist. Reb. xii. (1843) 740/2 [He] ordered his other small troops to contain themselves in those uncouth quarters. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 243 As the Moderns restrain Water, and contain it. |
† b. intr. To keep oneself, remain. Obs.
| c 1400 Rom. Rose 4926 That he may, er he hennes pace, Conteyne undir obedience. 1682 Tate Absal. & Achit. ii. 42 Accusers' infamy is urged in vain, While in the bounds of sense they did contain. |
† c. To retain, keep in one's possession or control. Obs.
| 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. v. i. 50 If you had knowne the vertue of the Ring..Or your owne honour to containe the Ring, You would not then haue parted with the Ring. 1651 N. Bacon Hist. Disc. xlv. 118 It's true the English stuck close to him; but how they were gained or contained, Writers speak not. |
† d. To keep, maintain (in a certain state). Obs.
| 1677 Hale Prim. Orig. Man. iv. ii. 297 The Water by heat and rarefaction easily assuming the nature of Air, and..containing it self in that consistency. |
14. To refrain from expressing or yielding to feeling, passion, etc.; to restrain oneself; † to refrain or keep from (obs.); † spec. to be continent, keep oneself in chastity (obs.). (Cf. 11 b.) a. refl.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 108/61 Heo ne couþe no-þing conteini hire ne speken no-þe-mo. 1382 Wyclif 1 Cor. vii. 9 For if thei conteynen not hem silf, or ben not chast, weddid be thei. c 1450 Castle Hd. Life St. Cuthb. (Surtees) 2669 And when fra gretyng sho hir contende. 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons Sig.** ij b, Such..can very hardly after be reformed and reduced to containe themselues, and live under any discipline. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. Induct. i. 100 Feare not my Lord, we can contain our selues, Were he the veriest anticke in the world. 1778 R. Lowth Transl. Isa. xlii. 14 Shall I keep silence for ever? Shall I still contain myself? 1887 Pall Mall G. 15 Sept. 7/2 Let them contain themselves and quit themselves like men. |
b. intr. (for refl.)
| 1611 Bible 1 Cor. vii. 9 But if they cannot conteine, let them marry. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. i. ii. iii. viii. (1651) 103 He could contain no longer, but hasting home, invaded his territories. 1710 Swift Let. 21 Sept. (Seager), No wonder she married, when she was so ill at containing. 1719 Young Paraphr. Job Wks. 1757 I. 205 Then Job contain'd no more; but curs'd his fate. 1726 Chetwood Adv. Capt. R. Boyle 213 All our care was to contain from laughing, which was a very hard Task. 1760 Goldsm. Cit. W. iii, I could hardly contain when I saw the Daures dress their heads with horns. 1883 G. Lloyd Ebb & Flow II. 205 He..seemed hardly able to contain. |
† 15. To bear oneself (well), behave. Obs. a. refl.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 547 Sir Simound de Mountford conseilede hom vaste, Hou hii ssolde hom conteini, the wule the bataile ilaste. 1375 Barbour Bruce xii. 277 Gif ȝe conteyn ȝou manfully. c 1450 Merlin iv. 77 That he sholde contene hym-self myrily. 1481 Caxton Godfrey xvii. 45 The good bisshop of Puy..conteyned hym moche wysely and truly. c 1500 Lancelot 1130 Neuer..was sen No man in feild more knyghtly hyme conten. |
b. intr. (for refl.)
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 3301 How that komeli kniȝt kunteyned on his stede. |
† 16. intr. (for refl.) To be situated, remain (in place). Obs. (cf. 17 b.)
| 1528 Lyndesay Dream 666 Asia contenis in the Orient. 1563 T. Hill Art Garden. (1593) 144 It doth cleanse the places also where the stones containe. |
¶ 17. = continue. [Mostly Sc. or northern, in the forms contene, -tine, -tyne, but also conteyne: there was app. a confusion of conteine and continue: cf. continue v. 17 in sense of contain.] Obs. a. trans.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 318 Þat no contek suld rise, Bot contene forth þe trew vnto þe Paskes terme. 1375 Barbour Bruce viii. 68 Thair fayis..continit the ficht so hardely. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 101 Contrarili be gunne, led, or contenid. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. xxxv. 209 Justyng þus has bene Contenyt thre Dayis. |
b. intr. (Cf. 13 b, 16).
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 33 Þei..contynen [v.r. conteynen] in pride, coueitise, extorciouns. c 1470 Henry Wallace vii. 138 In strowbill wer thou sall conteyne full lang. 1592 tr. Junius on Rev. xvii. 8 No Empire..ever conteyned so long. |