noun
- the act of retaining.
- the state of being retained.
- the power to retain; capacity for retaining.
- the act or power of remembering things; memory.
noun
- the act of retaining or state of being retained
- the capacity to hold or retain liquid
- the capacity to remember
- pathol the abnormal holding within the body of urine, faeces, etc, that are normally excreted
- commerce a sum of money owed to a contractor but not paid for an agreed period as a safeguard against any faults found in the work carried out
- (plural) accounting profits earned by a company but not distributed as dividends; retained earnings
n.late 14c., from Latin retentionem (nominative retentio) “a retaining, a holding back,” noun of action from past participle stem of retinere (see retain). Originally medical; mental sense is from late 15c. n.
- Involuntary withholding by the body of wastes or secretions that are normally eliminated.
- The holding by the body of what normally belongs in it, such as food in the stomach.
- An ability to recall or recognize what has been learned or experienced; memory.
- In dentistry, a period following orthodontic treatment when a patient wears an appliance or appliances to stabilize the teeth in their new position.