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; to support; to sustain; to uphold; to keep up; not to suffer to fail or decline; as, to maintain a certain degree of heat in a furnace; to maintain a fence or a railroad; to maintain the digestive process or powers of the stomach; to maintain the fertility of soil; to maintain present reputation.

That maybe maintained.

One who maintains.

One who, not being interested, maintains a cause depending between others, by furnishing money, etc., to either party. Bouvier. Wharton.

To support, uphold, or aid; to maintain; -- in a good sense. [Obs.]. Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted. Jer. Taylor.

same calling. 1 Cor. vii. 20. Followed by by: To abide by. (a) To stand to; to adhere; to maintain. The poor fellow was obstinate enough to abide by what he said at first. Fielding.

A thesis maintained in public, in some English universities, by a candidate for a degree, or to show the proficiency of a student.

Propensity to form and maintain attachments to persons, and to promote social intercourse.

One who maintains that points of the Hebrew word translated "Jehovah" are really the vowel points of the word "Adonai." See Jehovist.

One of a sect which maintained that Christ was the Son of God not by nature but by adoption.

To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true; -- opposed to deny. Jesus, . . . whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Acts xxv. 19.

to that which denies; an affirmative proposition; that side of question which affirms or maintains the proposition stated; -- opposed to Ant: negative; as, there were forty votes in the affirmative, and ten in the negative. Whether there are such beings or not, 't is sufficient for my purpose that many have believed t…

e; esp. the celebrated confederation known as the Amphictyonic Council. Its object was to maintain the common interests of Greece.

To enlarge. [R.] To maintain and ampliate the external possessions of your empire. Udall.

lief of those in the Church of England who accept many doctrines and practices which they maintain were those of the primitive, or true, Catholic Church, of which they consider the Church of England to be the lineal descendant.

One who maintains the doctrine of animism.

One who maintains that, under the gospel dispensation, the moral law is of no use or obligation, but that faith alone is necessary to salvation. The sect of Antinomians originated with John Agricola, in Germany, about the year 1535. Mosheim.

To maintain; to defend. [Obs. or Archaic] That . . . I may assert Eternal Providence, And justify the ways of God to men. Milton. I will assert it from the scandal. Jer. Taylor.

One who asserts; one who avers pr maintains; an assertor. The inflexible asserter of the rights of the church. Milman.

One who asserts or avers; one who maintains or vindicates a claim or a right; an affirmer, supporter, or vindicator; a defender; an asserter. The assertors of liberty said not a word. Macaulay. Faithful assertor of thy country's cause. Prior.