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sure of any thing or quality; not limited; not restrained; -- applied to any subject, and retaining the literal idea more or less clearly, the precise meaning depending largely on the substantive. A broad mixture of falsehood. Locke.

A large, strong rope or chain, of considerable length, used to retain a vessel at anchor, and for other purposes. It is made of hemp, of steel wire, or of iron links.

ommon marble and chalk. Plants imbibe it for their nutrition and growth, the carbon being retained and the oxygen given out. -- Carbonic oxide (Chem.), a colorless gas, CO, of a light odor, called more correctly carbon monoxide. It is almost the only definitely known compound in which carbon seems to be divalent. It i…

A slight remembrance; a trace. We retain a catch of those pretty stories. Glanvill.

The distinguishing mark worn by an armed knight, usually upon the helmet, and by his retainers and followers: Hence, in general, a badge worn by a retainer or dependent, to indicate the person or party to which he belonged; a token by which a thing may be known. Wearing the liveries and cognizance of their master. Pres…

ommon on the nose, etc., which on pressure allows the escape of a yellow wormlike mass of retained oily secretion, with a black head (dirt).

b, in conduct and diction. Macaulay. Conduct money (Naut.), a portion of a seaman's wages retained till the end of his engagement, and paid over only if his conduct has been satisfactory.

lec.), the largest conductor of an electrical machine, serving to collect, accumulate, or retain the electricity.

To struggle or exert one's self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend. You sit above, and see vain men below Contend for what you only can bestow. Dryden.

To retain; to suffer or cause to remain; as, the trustees were continued; also, to suffer to live. And how shall we continue Claudio. Shak.

Not retaining heat; light; as, a cool dress.

Retaining fecal matter in the bowels; having too slow a motion of the bowels; constipated.

evolution by which a body of troops change front or reverse the direction of march while retaining the same men in the front rank; also, a movement by which the rear rank becomes the front one, either with or without changing the right to the left.

To fold or plait in regular undulation in such a way that the material will retain the shape intended; to give a wavy apperance to; as, to crimp the border of a cap; to crimp a ruffle. Cf. Crisp. The comely hostess in a crimped cap. W. Irving.

y the process to receive impressed patterns, like those produced by chasing metal, and to retain the impression permanently.

danger, in one's power; liable to a penalty to be inflicted by him. [Obs.] This sense is retained in the proverb, "Out of debt out of danger." Those rich man in whose debt and danger they be not. Robynson (More's Utopia). -- To do danger, to cause danger. [Obs.] Shak.

Government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is retained and directly exercised by the people.

To serve; to attend; to act as a dependent or retainer. [Obs.] Shak.

ho is sustained by another, or who relies on another for support of favor; a hanger-on; a retainer; as, a numerous train of dependents. A host of dependents on the court, suborned to play their part as witnesses. Hallam.

ispersing, or the state of being scattered or separated; as, the Jews in their dispersion retained their rites and ceremonies; a great dispersion of the human family took place at the building of Babel. The days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished. Jer. xxv. 34.