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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary main·tain ETYMOLOGY Middle English mainteinen, from Anglo-French maintenir, maynteiner, from Medieval Latin manutenēre, from Latin manu tenēre to hold in the hand DATE 14th century 1. to keep in an existing state (as of repair, efficiency, or validity) :preserve from failure or decline maintain machinery 2. to sustain against opposition or danger : uphold and defend maintain a position 3. to continue or persevere in : carry on, keep up couldn't maintain his composure 4. a. to support or provide for has a family to maintain b. sustain enough food to maintain life 5. to affirm in or as if in argument : assert maintained that the earth is flat • main·tain·er noun Synonyms. maintain , assert , defend , vindicate , justify mean to uphold as true, right, just, or reasonable. maintain stresses firmness of conviction steadfastly maintained his innocence assert suggests determination to make others accept one's claim asserted her rights defend implies maintaining in the face of attack or criticism defended his voting record vindicate implies successfully defending his success vindicated our faith in him justify implies showing to be true, just, or valid by appeal to a standard or to precedent the action was used to justify military intervention English Etymology maintain mid-13c., "to practice habitually," from Anglo-Fr. meintenir ( O.Fr .maintenir), from L. manu tenere "hold in the hand," from manu, abl. of manus "hand" (see manual) + tenere "to hold" (see tenet). Meaning "to carry on, keep up" is from mid-14c.; that of "to keep oneself, to support" is from late 14c. Sense of "to defend in speech" is from mid-14c. Related: Maintained; maintaining; maintains.http://O.Fr Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ maintain main·tain / mein5tein / verb1. [VN] to make sth continue at the same level, standard, etc. 维持；保持 SYN preserve :
to maintain law and order / standards / a balance 维持治安；保持水平/平衡 The two countries have always maintained close relations. 这两个国家一直保持着密切关系。 (formal) She maintained a dignified silence. 她一言不发,面容威严。 to maintain prices (= prevent them falling or rising) 维持价格的稳定 2. [VN] to keep a building, a machine, etc. in good condition by checking or repairing it regularly 维修；保养: The house is large and difficult to maintain. 房子很大,难以养护。 3. to keep stating that sth is true, even though other people do not agree or do not believe it 坚持意见；固执己见 SYN insist :
▪ [V (that)] The men maintained (that) they were out of the country when the crime was committed. 这几个男人坚持说案发时他们在国外。 ▪ [VN] She has always maintained her innocence. 她一直坚持说她是无辜的。 ▪ [also V speech] 4. [VN] to support sb / sth over a long period of time by giving money, paying for food, etc. 供养；扶养 SYN keep :
Her income was barely enough to maintain one child, let alone three. 她的收入养活一个孩子几乎都不够,更不用说三个了。 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English maintain verb 1 keep sth at the same level VERB + MAINTAIN be anxious to, want to We are anxious to maintain our close links with the police. | have to, need to | strive to, try to | help (to) | be able to | be difficult to The government's position became increasingly difficult to maintain. PHRASES the duty/need to maintain sth He emphasized the need to maintain the status quo. 2 keep sth in good condition ADV. properly, well | poorly a poorly maintained central heating system VERB + MAINTAIN be difficult to | be easy to PHRASES be responsible for maintaining sth Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus-11th Edition v. Function: verb 1 to keep in a state of repair, efficiency, or validity FF1C;he followed a careful regimen to maintain his good healthFF1E; Synonyms: keep up, preserve, save, sustain; compare SAVE 3 Related Words: husband, manage; care (for), cultivate; guard, protect Contrasted Words: disregard, ignore, neglect, omit, overlook, slight 2 to uphold as true, right, proper, or acceptable often in the face of challenge or indifference FF1C;I maintain that his actions were justified by the circumstancesFF1E; Synonyms: argue, assert, claim, contend, defend, justify, vindicate, warrant Related Words: affirm, aver, avouch, avow, declare, profess, protest; emphasize, insist, persist, stress; correct, rectify, right Contrasted Words: contradict, deny, gainsay, traverse; challenge, query, question 3 Synonyms: SUPPORT 3, provide (for)Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged main·tain \(ˈ)mān.ˈtān, mən-\ transitive verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle English mainteinen, maintenen, from Old French maintenir, from Medieval Latin manutenēre, from Latin manu tenēre to know for certain, literally, to hold in the hand, from manu (abl. of manus hand) + tenēre to hold — more at manual , thin 1. : to keep in a state of repair, efficiency, or validity : preserve from failure or decline < exercise … sufficient to maintain bodily and mental vigor — H.G.Armstrong > 2. a. : to sustain against opposition or danger : back up : defend , uphold < only fast ironclad cruisers could maintain the position of the Union against other naval powers — H.K.Beale > b. : to uphold in argument : contend for < maintains his logical position > 3. : to persevere in : carry on : keep up : continue < members of the … tribe maintain native customs with ceremonial dances — New York Times > < the husband could be certain of maintaining a certain standard of living — Saturday Review > < in addition to maintaining his news schedule he served as a fire warden — Current Biography > 4. : to provide for : bear the expense of : support < the lady of beauty is maintained as the pampered wife of a wealthy man — Lucy Crockett > < two homes, with 145 beds, are maintained for the age and indigent — Americana Annual > 5. : to affirm in or as if in argument : assert , declare < maintained that this government was untrustworthy — Collier's Year Book > < was maintaining … that “modern society could hardly look worse” — Saturday Review > 6. : to assist (a party to legal action) so as to commit maintenance Synonyms: assert , defend , vindicate , justify : maintain indicates firm, convinced, persistent upholding of something as true, just, valid, or acceptable < maintain that the whole educational scheme of our schools and colleges should be recast, and that a much larger portion of it should be devoted to modern languages and to history — R.B.Merriman > < stubbornly maintained his views in any argument even to insisting upon certain observations which subsequently were shown to be practically impossible — Witmer Stone > assert may indicate a setting forth of something as true, valid, or existent with or without aggressive determination to convince and to silence opposition < that rigid sect which asserts that all real science is precise measurement — Havelock Ellis > < in Elizabethan drama, the critic is rash who will assert boldly that any play is by a single hand — T.S.Eliot > < what I contend myself with asserting here you can scarcely deny — A.T.Quiller-Couch > defend may apply to a stating as true in the face of attack, objection, or disbelief, often as a calm apologist without the aggressiveness suggested by assert < defended his action by saying it was the best and quickest way — S.H.Holbrook > < called upon to defend his action against Russian charges that undesirable persons remained in office — Current Biography > vindicate suggests an adducing with force, cogency, logic, truth, or evidence that overwhelms doubt, hesitancy, denial, or opposition < the aesthetic apologies by which artists and art critics vindicate artistic activity — Bernard Smith > < have all vindicated ourselves and received responsible positions — John Dos Passos > justify indicates an appeal to a standard of law or right or to an accepted rule or measure to show the truth, validity, or propriety of something < justified the right of revolution not upon the ground of hostile acts of the people but upon usurpations of authority upon the part of those to whom such authority has been delegated — W.S.Myers > < justified his seizure of power on the grounds of an alleged conspiracy by the government to control the elections — Americana Annual > |
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