maintain

Bridgezipf 4.65

Pronunciation

/meɪnˈteɪn/(mayn-TAYN)

Part of speech

verbneutral

Chinese

维护；保持；坚持（使某事物继续运转或处于良好状态；或坚持一种声明）

Definition

To keep something in its current state or at a required level; to assert something as true despite disagreement.

Word family

  • maintenance/ˈmeɪntənəns/(n)维护；保养；维持
  • maintained/meɪnˈteɪnd/(adj)维护良好的

Collocations

  • maintain standards
  • maintain a system
  • routine maintenance
  • maintain order
  • maintain composure
  • maintain that ...
  • maintain relationships

Examples

  1. 1.Regular audits are necessary to maintain the integrity of the data over time.
  2. 2.He maintained throughout the investigation that he had acted within the rules.

Synonyms

  • preserve/prɪˈzɜːv/— keep unchanged
  • sustain/səˈsteɪn/— keep going over time
  • uphold/ʌpˈhəʊld/— confirm or support; keep in effect

Etymology

from Old French "maintenir" = to hold in the hand, keep under control, from Latin "manu tenere" (to hold in the hand)