maintain

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Maintained p. pr. & vb. n. Maintaining. ] [ OE. maintenen, F. maintenir, properly, to hold by the hand; main hand (L. manus) + F. tenir to hold (L. tenere). See Manual, and Tenable. ] 1. To hold or keep in any particular state or condition; 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To keep possession of; to hold and defend; not to surrender or relinquish. [ 1913 Webster ]

God values . . . every one as he maintains his post. Grew. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To continue; not to suffer to cease or fail. [ 1913 Webster ]

Maintain talk with the duke. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To bear the expense of; to support; to keep up; to supply with what is needed. [ 1913 Webster ]

Glad, by his labor, to maintain his life. Stirling. [ 1913 Webster ]

What maintains one vice would bring up two children. Franklin. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To affirm; to support or defend by argument. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is hard to maintain the truth, but much harder to be maintained by it. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To assert; vindicate; allege. See Assert. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That may be maintained. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who maintains. [ 1913 Webster ]