retenir

Catalan

Alternative forms

• retindre

Etymology

Inherited from Old Catalan retenir, from Latin retinēre, with normal change of conjugation to -ir.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencian)
• Rhymes: -i(ɾ)

Verb

retenir (first-person singular present retinc, first-person singular preterite retinguí, past participle retingut); root stress: (Central, Valencian, Balearic) /e/

1. to retain; to keep
2. to retain; to remember
3. (reflexive) to control oneself; to control one's impulses

Conjugation

Related terms

• retenció

References

• “retenir” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French retenir, from Old French retenir, from Vulgar Latin *retenīre, from Latin retinēre, from re- + teneō (“to hold”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʁə.t(ə).niʁ/

• audio

  (file)

Verb

retenir

1. (transitive) to retain, hold
   1. (transitive) to hold back, rein in
   2. (transitive) to keep, detain, hold up
2. (transitive) to remember
3. (transitive, intransitive) to accept (que that)
4. (transitive, law) to uphold
5. (reflexive) to restrain oneself, hold back

   Je n’ai pas pu me retenir, je n’ai pas pu m’en empêcher. ― I couldn't help myself.

Conjugation

This is a verb in a group of -ir verbs. All verbs ending in -tenir, such as contenir and détenir, are conjugated this way. Such verbs are the only verbs whose the past historic and subjunctive imperfect endings do not start in one of these thematic vowels (-a-, -i-, -u-).

Derived terms

• donner et retenir ne vaut
• retenir la leçon
• retenir ses coups
• retenir son souffle

Related terms

• rétention

Further reading

• “retenir”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Anagrams

• inerter, rentier, terrien, terrine

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French retenir.

Verb

retenir

1. to keep; to retain
   • 1488, Jean Dupré, Lancelot du Lac, page 67:

     ceulx qui venoient en la dance estoient retenus

     those who came into the dance where retained

Descendants

• English: retain
• French: retenir

Old French

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *retenīre, from Latin retinēre, present active infinitive of retineō.

Verb

retenir

1. to keep; to retain

Conjugation

This verb conjugates as a third-group verb. This verb has a stressed present stem retien distinct from the unstressed stem reten, as well as other irregularities. Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.

Related terms

• retencion

Descendants

• Middle French: retenir
  • English: retain
  • French: retenir