transitive verb
- to have in it; hold, enclose, or include: the can contains tea, the list contains 50 items
- to have the capacity for holding
- to be equivalent to: a gallon contains four quarts
- to hold back or within fixed limits; specif.,
- to restrain (one's feeling, oneself, etc.)
- to check the power, expansion, or influence of
- to be divisible by, esp. without a remainder: 10 contains 5 and 2
Origin:
ME conteinen < OFr contenir < L continere, to hold < com-, together + tenere, to hold: see thin
intransitive verb
Archaic to restrain one's feelings