retain
/rɪˈteɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈteɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈtān/ (ame, mw)
retain — 動詞
- retainpresent simple I / you / we / they
- retainshe / she / it
- retainedpast simple
- retaining-ing form
1. To continue to own, hold, or keep something that you already have, especially wh
保留；保有
繼續擁有某物，不失去
To continue to own, hold, or keep something that you already have, especially when there is a risk of losing it or a reason that might cause you to give it up.
Lotte retained all her grandmother's handwritten letters even after three house moves.
Lotte 即使搬了三次家，仍然保留著祖母親筆寫的所有信件。
retain + personal possessions
The company retained its original name despite being bought by a larger firm.
那家公司被大企業收購後，仍保有原本的名稱。
Sahil retained the receipts for every business expense he claimed that year.
Sahil 把去年申報的所有業務支出收據都保留了下來。
Despite the budget cuts, the school retained its after-school music programme.
儘管預算縮減，這所學校仍然保留了課後音樂課程。
The small bakery on Green Lane has retained the same recipes since it opened in 1987.
Green Lane 上那家小烘焙坊從 1987 年開業至今，一直保持著同樣的配方。
- keep
less formal and more general; used in everyday situations
- hold on to
informal phrasal verb; emphasises preventing loss
- maintain
focuses on keeping something at the same level or condition
文法句型
retain + noun phrase (possession/right/property)
用法筆記
Often used with nouns like 'right', 'ownership', 'control', 'dignity', 'independence', or 'reputation' — things that can be lost or taken away. More formal than 'keep'.
常見錯誤
2. Describes a material's ability to keep heat, liquid, or flavour inside itself wi
保持；留住
物質持續含有熱量或水分等
Describes a material's ability to keep heat, liquid, or flavour inside itself without letting it leak or disappear.
A thick woollen jumper retains body heat far better than a thin cotton shirt.
一件厚羊毛毛衣比薄棉襯衫更能留住身體的熱量。
retain + heat (materials comparison)
Clay soil retains moisture much longer than sandy soil during a dry spell.
黏土在乾旱期間比沙土能保持更久的濕氣。
The old stone walls in the cottage retain the sun's warmth well past sunset.
小屋的舊石牆在太陽下山後仍然保有陽光的溫暖。
This ceramic mug retains the temperature of hot drinks for over an hour.
這個陶瓷杯可以讓熱飲的溫度保持超過一個小時。
文法句型
retain + heat / moisture / water / flavour
用法筆記
Subject is usually a type of material, fabric, container, or surface. Object is typically a physical property such as heat, moisture, water, aroma, or flavour.
常見錯誤
3. To pay a sum of money in advance to a lawyer, solicitor, or law firm so that the
預聘
預先付費聘用律師
To pay a sum of money in advance to a lawyer, solicitor, or law firm so that they are available to give legal advice or represent you when needed.
The Hernandez family retained a lawyer to handle their immigration case.
Hernandez 一家人預聘了一位律師來處理他們的移民案件。
Before launching the lawsuit, Esteban retained a defamation specialist.
提起訴訟前，Esteban 預聘了一位誹謗官司的專家。
retain + legal expert
The technology start-up retained a law firm to review its patent applications.
那間科技新創公司預聘了一家律師事務所來審查其專利申請。
Sumin's parents retained legal counsel before signing the property agreement.
Sumin 的父母在簽署房產協議前先預聘了法律顧問。
文法句型
retain + legal professional / law firm
用法筆記
Restricted to legal and professional contexts. The advance payment is called a 'retainer'. Do not use this sense for hiring other types of professionals — use 'hire' or 'engage' instead.
常見錯誤
4. To keep information, facts, or memories in your mind for a period of time rather
記住；牢記
記得或牢記在心中
To keep information, facts, or memories in your mind for a period of time rather than forgetting them.
Elderly patients sometimes struggle to retain new information after major surgery.
年長病患在大手術後有時難以記住新資訊。
retain + information
Tariro found it difficult to retain all the vocabulary for her Japanese exam.
Tariro 發現要記住日語考試的所有單字很困難。
Children can retain remarkable amounts of detail when stories use pictures.
如果用圖畫說故事，孩子們能夠記住驚人的細節。
The names of the new colleagues were hard to retain after the first meeting.
第一次會議後，新同事的名字很難全部記住。
Hyun retained almost nothing from the three-hour lecture on tax law.
Hyun 在那場長達三小時的稅務講座中幾乎沒記住什麼。
- remember
more common in everyday speech; less emphasis on holding over time
- memorise
suggests an active effort to commit something to memory
- keep in mind
less formal; suggests remembering to consider something
- forget
to no longer have something in your memory
文法句型
retain + information / facts / details / knowledge
用法筆記
Used especially in educational or cognitive contexts. Stronger than 'remember' — it implies not just recalling but holding the information over time. Object is usually abstract: 'information', 'facts', 'details', 'knowledge', 'what someone learned'.
常見錯誤
5. To continue to have a particular position, job, title, or physical feature, espe
留住；維持
保持原有位置或特徵
To continue to have a particular position, job, title, or physical feature, especially when change or loss is expected.
The old theatre retained its original Art Deco ceiling after the renovation.
翻修後，這間老戲院仍保留著原有的裝飾藝術天花板。
retain + architectural feature
Jude retained his position as team captain despite the poor season results.
儘管球隊戰績不佳，Jude 仍然留住球隊隊長的職位。
The town has retained its weekly farmers' market for more than eighty years.
這個小鎮的週末農夫市集已經維持了八十多年。
Nellie retained the championship title for the third year in a row.
Nellie 連續第三年留住冠軍頭銜。
This traditional recipe has retained its popularity because it is simple and affordable.
這份傳統食譜因為簡單又實惠，一直都維持著高人氣。
- keep
simpler and more general; 'retain' is more formal
- hold on to
informal; emphasises effort against pressure to change
- preserve
used for features, qualities, or buildings; suggests active protection
文法句型
retain + position / title / feature / character
用法筆記
Often used in passive constructions ('the building was retained as a museum') or with abstract qualities ('retain its charm, character, appeal'). The focus is on resisting change.