Contain (Verb)
Meaning 1
Contain or hold; have within; "The jar carries wine"; "The canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- The new water bottle can contain up to 2 liters of liquid.
- The safe was designed to contain expensive jewelry and other valuable items.
- This thermos contains enough coffee to last for the entire day.
- High-tech laboratory equipment is needed to contain and study certain types of microorganisms.
- The tank can contain over 10,000 gallons of fuel for the offshore oil rig.
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Meaning 2
Be divisible by; "24 contains 6".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- 36 contains 6 because 36 can be divided by 6.
- 75 does not contain 5 in the sense that it is divisible by 5, because it is.
- 27 contains 3 since 27 divided by 3 gives a whole number.
- 40 contains 2 and 8, as both numbers evenly divide into it.
- 90 contains 10 as it can be evenly divided by 10.
Meaning 3
Include or contain; have as a component; "A totally new idea is comprised in this paper"; "The record contains many old songs from the 1930's".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- The new smartphone contains advanced features such as facial recognition and artificial intelligence.
- This cereal box contains a free toy inside the packaging.
- The new policy contains provisions to protect the environment and community.
- The ancient tomb was found to contain many valuable artifacts and treasures.
- The book contains a detailed account of the historical event.
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Meaning 4
Hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of; "Arrest the downward trend"; "Check the growth of communism in South East Asia"; "Contain the rebel movement"; "Turn back the tide of communism".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
Examples
- The government's primary goal was to contain the spread of the virus by implementing travel restrictions and quarantining affected areas.
- Measures have been taken to contain the growth of invasive species in the national park by introducing natural predators and removing the invasive plants.
- The efforts to contain the fire were hindered by strong winds and dry conditions, which allowed the flames to spread quickly.
- The military has been called in to contain the rebel uprising in the outskirts of the city.
- The UN peacekeeping forces were deployed to contain the conflict and negotiate a ceasefire between the two warring factions.
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Meaning 5
Lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- She took deep breaths to contain her anger when she found out what had happened.
- The coach tried to contain his frustration with the team's performance by focusing on the positive aspects.
- The authorities struggled to contain the demonstrations that turned violent, calling in extra forces for backup.
- You must learn to contain your impulses if you want to achieve long-term success in the business world.
- Her sense of humor helped her contain the emotional pain after her breakup and move on with her life.
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Meaning 6
Be capable of holding or containing; "This box won't take all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- The jug can contain about four liters of liquid.
- A teaspoon is not large enough to contain a full serving of sugar.
- The beaker is specially designed to contain hazardous materials.
- This suitcase won't contain all of your winter clothing, I think.
- The thermos can contain a full day's worth of hot coffee.