3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Contain  \Con*tain"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Contained};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Containing}.]  [OE.  contenen  conteinen  F.  contenir 
  fr  L.  continere  -tentum;  con-  +  tenere  to  hold  See 
  {Tenable},  and  cf  {Countenance}.] 
  1.  To  hold  within  fixed  limits;  to  comprise;  to  include;  to 
  inclose;  to  hold 
 
  Behold,  heaven  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  can  not 
  contain  thee;  how  much  less  this  house!  --2  Chron. 
  vi  18. 
 
  When  that  this  body  did  contain  a  spirit.  --Shak. 
 
  What  thy  stores  contain  bring  forth.  --Milton. 
 
  2.  To  have  capacity  for  to  be  able  to  hold  to  hold  to  be 
  equivalent  to  as  a  bushel  contains  four  pecks. 
 
  3.  To  put  constraint  upon  to  restrain;  to  confine;  to  keep 
  within  bounds.  [Obs.,  exept  as  used  reflexively.] 
 
  The  king's  person  contains  the  unruly  people  from 
  evil  occasions.  --Spenser. 
 
  Fear  not  my  lord:  we  can  contain  ourselves  --Shak. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Contain  \Con*tain"\,  v.  i. 
  To  restrain  desire;  to  live  in  continence  or  chastity. 
 
  But  if  they  can  not  contain,  let  them  marry.  --1  Cor. 
  vii.  9. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  contain 
  v  1:  include  or  contain;  have  as  a  component;  "A  totally  new  idea 
  is  comprised  in  this  paper";  "The  record  contains  many 
  old  songs  from  the  1930's"  [syn:  {incorporate},  {comprise}] 
  2:  contain  or  hold  have  within:  "The  jar  carries  wine";  "The 
  canteen  holds  fresh  water";  "This  can  contains  water" 
  [syn:  {hold},  {bear},  {carry}] 
  3:  lessen  the  intensity  of  temper;  hold  in  restraint;  hold  or 
  keep  within  limits;  "moderate  your  alcohol  intake"  "hold 
  your  tongue";  "hold  your  temper";  "control  your  anger" 
  [syn:  {control},  {hold  in},  {hold},  {check},  {curb},  {moderate}] 
  4:  be  divisible  by  "24  contains  6" 
  5:  be  capable  of  holding  or  containing;  "This  box  won't  take 
  all  the  items";  "The  flask  holds  one  gallon"  [syn:  {take}, 
  {hold}] 
  6:  hold  back  as  of  a  danger  or  an  enemy;  check  the  expansion 
  or  influence  of  "Arrest  the  downward  trend";  "Check  the 
  growth  of  communism  in  SE  Asia";  "Contain  the  rebel 
  movement"  [syn:  {check},  {turn  back},  {arrest},  {stop},  {hold 
  back}] 

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