retention
noun/ɹɪˈtɛnʃən/
Etymology From Middle English retencioun, borrowed from Latin retentiō, retentiōnis, from retentus, the perfect passive participle of retineō (“retain”) (from re- (“back, again”) + teneō (“hold, keep”)).
10 senses
- 1The act of retaining or something retained.
- 2The act or power of remembering things.
- 3Memory; what is retained in the mind.
- 4The involuntary withholding of urine and faeces.
- 5The length of time a patient remains in treatment.
- 6That which contains something, as a tablet; a means of…
- 7The act of withholding; restraint; reserve.
- 8A place of custody or confinement.
- 9The right to withhold a debt, or of retaining property…
- 10The portion of a potential damage that must be paid for…
The act of retaining or something retained.
- No woman's heart / So big, to hold so much; they lack retention.c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], page 95:
The act or power of remembering things.
Memory; what is retained in the mind.
- "Still," Suit echoed. "The way she handles the gun jamming." Suit shook their head in admiration. "Tap, rack, bang, without hesitation. That's extraordinary retention."2015 March 25, thedeadlymoose, “The Seed of an Idea”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 01 Dec 2024:
Medicine, Sciences The involuntary withholding of urine and faeces.
Medicine, Sciences The length of time a patient remains in treatment.
Obsolete That which contains something, as a tablet; a means of preserving impressions.
- Thy gift, thy tables, are within my brain Full character’d with lasting memory, […] That poor retention could not so much hold, Nor need I tallies thy dear love to score;1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 122”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
Obsolete The act of withholding; restraint; reserve.
- His life I gave him, and did thereto add / My love without retention or restraint,c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 79:
Obsolete A place of custody or confinement.
Law The right to withhold a debt, or of retaining property until a debt due to the person claiming the right is duly paid; a lien.
- The right of retention, which bears a near resemblance to compensation, is chiefly competent where the mutual debts, not being liquid, cannot be the ground of compensation1754, John Erskine of Carnock, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
- Derived terms
- bioretention, colour retention agent, deposit interest retention tax, gastroretention, hydraulic retention time, irretention, lake retention time, nonretention, overretention, retentional, retention basin, retentionist, retention line, retention pond, retention tank, retention time, silver retention