Maintain (Verb)
Meaning 1
Keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction; "We preserve these archeological findings"; "The old lady could not keep up the building"; "children must be taught to conserve our national heritage"; "The museum curator conserved the ancient manuscripts".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- We must maintain these rare animal species in controlled environments to preserve their genetic material.
- The historical society works diligently to maintain the artifacts of the past for future generations to study and learn from.
- After purchasing the antique vase, Emma made sure to maintain its condition to avoid its depreciation in value.
- Local authorities are taking steps to maintain the integrity of the old medieval church and prevent it from crumbling.
- To maintain the ship's seaworthiness, the crew performs regular checks and scheduled maintenance on the vessel's engines and equipment.
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Meaning 2
State or assert; "He maintained his innocence".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The manager maintained that the project would be completed on time despite the delays.
- She maintained her composure during the difficult conversation with her colleague.
- Throughout the trial, the defendant maintained his innocence in the face of overwhelming evidence.
- The company maintained that their product was safe for use by consumers.
- The politician maintained that her opponent's claims about her were false and misleading.
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Meaning 3
Supply with necessities and support; "She alone sustained her family"; "The money will sustain our good cause"; "There's little to earn and many to keep".
Classification
Verbs of eating and drinking.
Examples
- The charity relies on donations to maintain the well-being of the underprivileged children in the community.
- Her income allows her to maintain her family comfortably, but she worries about the rising cost of living.
- The healthcare program will maintain the health and nutrition of young mothers and their babies.
- Their salary is just enough to maintain the basic needs of their growing family, but they struggle to save.
- The community fundraising event will help maintain the services provided by the local food bank.
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Meaning 4
Maintain for use and service; "I keep a car in the countryside"; "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- He maintains a yacht in the Mediterranean for his summer vacations.
- The family keeps a vacation home in Hawaii for their annual gatherings.
- She maintains a small studio in New York City for her art projects.
- The company keeps a team of technicians to maintain their fleet of aircraft.
- He maintains a luxurious villa in the Swiss Alps for his skiing trips.
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Meaning 5
Maintain by writing regular records; "keep a diary"; "maintain a record"; "keep notes".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- To maintain her progress, she wrote in her journal every day, documenting her successes and setbacks.
- Students are required to maintain a lab notebook to record their experiments and observations throughout the semester.
- As part of her job, the scientist had to maintain a detailed record of all the data collected during her research.
- He maintain a daily log to track his expenses, finances, and work progress.
- To maintain a consistent picture of her artwork development, she started keeping a sketchbook that she filled with her studies and inspirations.
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Meaning 6
State categorically.
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The organization will maintain that the new policy is fair to all employees regardless of their position.
- The health department will categorically maintain that handwashing is essential for preventing the spread of diseases.
- She will categorically maintain that she did not tamper with the evidence in any way.
- They will categorically maintain that their investment strategy is sound and based on thorough research.
- The company categorically maintains that its chemical products are environmentally friendly.
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Meaning 7
Have and exercise; "wield power and authority".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- The party in power will do everything it takes to maintain control over the government for as long as possible.
- The new leader's ability to maintain authority will depend on their ability to keep the party members loyal.
- In order to maintain her grip on the government, the prime minister made numerous concessions to her opponents.
- The dictator's success in maintain power was largely due to his ruthless tactics and complete disregard for human rights.
- The king's efforts to maintain his authority were hindered by the growing discontent among his subjects.
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Meaning 8
Support against an opponent; "The appellate court upheld the verdict".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The defendant's lawyer struggled to maintain their argument in the face of overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution.
- The controversial decision was made to maintain the harsher sentencing guidelines despite public outcry for reform.
- The court chose to maintain the law put in place to regulate large corporations, refusing the appeal from the powerful CEO.
- Her well-crafted defense allowed her to maintain her innocence, in spite of the jury's doubts, until the not guilty verdict.
- The prosecutors were able to maintain their claim of first-degree murder, successfully countering the defense's attempt to reduce the charge.
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Meaning 9
Cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., `keep clean'; "hold in place"; "She always held herself as a lady"; "The students keep me on my toes".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- The gardener will maintain the lawn so it keeps looking healthy and green.
- Regular checkups help to maintain optimal health throughout your life.
- Maintain a safe distance from the animals in the wildlife sanctuary.
- To maintain their physical fitness, they had to work out every day.
- The pressure in the tire has to be maintained at the recommended level for better mileage.
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Meaning 10
Stick to correctly or closely; "The pianist kept time with the metronome"; "keep count"; "I cannot keep track of all my employees".
Classification
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting.
Examples
- She had to maintain her diet to keep her blood pressure low.
- The journalist tried to maintain her objectivity despite being personally involved in the case.
- Police maintain that the suspect was hiding in an abandoned warehouse.
- Engineers must carefully maintain the instruments to ensure accurate readings.
- Scientists struggle to maintain the delicate balance of the ecosystem.