retineo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [rɛˈtɪ.ne.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈtiː.ne.o]^[1]

Forms

retineō (present infinitive retinēre, perfect active retinuī, supine retentum); second conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from re- “back” and teneō “to hold”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, as his quotiēns forās īre volō, mē retinēs “whenever I want to go out, you hold me back”.^[2][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to hold fast, detain, confine, and to impound things, as in Plautus, and in Terence of circumstances to keep someone in a place.^[2][4] In Cicero it meant to check, hold back, and in Plautus to restrain from a course.^[2] It meant to keep hold of, and in Lucretius and Celsus to retain fluid or food, and in Ovid to hold back tears.^[2] From Plautus it meant to keep possession, in Cicero to keep power, loyalty, a position and a view, to keep using or having, to observe a custom, and memoriā retinēre to remember.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to restrain, hold back, retain.^[6] It survives in Italian ritenere and French retenir, and Old French retenir gave English retain in the late 14th century.^[1][3] Wiktionary also lists English rein among its descendants.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of holding back.^[2][5]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of detaining.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of retaining power and memory.^[2][5]
• late 14th century – English retain is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To hold fast, detain; to impound.^[2]
2. To keep in a place; to hold (attention); to delay.^[2]
3. To hold back, check; to restrain.^[2]
4. To keep hold of.^[2]
5. To retain (fluid, food); to hold back (tears).^[2]
6. To keep within.^[2]
7. To keep possession of, retain.^[2]
8. To hold (a position); to maintain (a view).^[2]
9. To keep up, observe (a custom).^[2]
10. memoriā retinēre, to remember.^[2]

Word family

• retentiō
• retentō
• retentor
• retentorius
• retentus
• retināculum
• retināx
• retinentia
• retina
• retinēns

Related words

• abstineō
• attineō
• circumteneō
• contineō
• dētineō
• distineō
• obtineō
• pertineō
• sustineō
• teneō
• English retain
• English retention

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson