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Verb: maintain  meyn'teyn
  1. Cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity
    - keep, hold
     
  2. Keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction
    "children must be taught to maintain our national heritage";
    - conserve, preserve, keep up
     
  3. Supply with necessities and support
    "She alone maintained her family";
    - sustain, keep
     
  4. State categorically
    - assert, asseverate
     
  5. Have and exercise
    "maintain power and authority";
    - wield, exert
     
  6. Have and look after for use and service
    "I maintain a car in the countryside";
    - keep
     
  7. Maintain by writing regular records
    "maintain a record";
    - keep
     
  8. State or assert
    "He maintained his innocence";
    - defend
     
  9. Support against an opponent
    "The appellate court maintained the verdict";
    - uphold
     
  10. Stick to correctly or closely
    "The pianist maintained time with the metronome";
    - observe, keep

Derived forms: maintains, maintaining, maintained

See also: avoid, keep down, keep in, keep off, keep up, set apart, shut out, sustain

Type of: affirm, confirm, enter, have, have got, hold, insist, keep, put down, reassert, record, take a firm stand

Encyclopedia: Maintain