Webster's English Dictionary

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contain

con.tain \k*n-'ta-n\ \-'ta--n*-b*l\ vb [ME conteinen, fr. OF contenir, fr. 
   L contine-re to hold t]ogether, hold in, contain, fr. com- + tene-re to 
   hold - more at THIN 1: to keep within limits : RESTRAIN; specif : to follow 
   su ccessfully a policy of containment toward 2a: to have within : HOLD  2b: 
   COMPRISE, INCLUDE  3a: to be divisible by usu. without a remainder  3b: 
   ENCLOSE, BOUND  : to restrain oneself ence of a specified substance or 
   quantity within something; HOLD implies the capacity of containing or the 
   usual or permanent function of containing or keeping; ACCOMMODATE stresses 
   holding without crowding or inconvenience - con.tain.able aj SYN syn HOLD, 
   ACCOMMODATE: CONTAIN implies the actual pres