main·tain /menˈten, mən-/
 (vt.)維修,保養;維持,保持;堅持,主張;供養,扶養


 maintain
 維護;保養;保留;保存;保持;檢修 MNTN


 maintain
 *維護


 Main·tain v. t. [imp. & p. p. Maintained p. pr. & vb. n. Maintaining.]
 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.
 2. To keep possession of; to hold and defend; not to surrender or relinquish.
    God values . . . every one as he maintains his post.   --Grew.
 3. To continue; not to suffer to cease or fail.
    Maintain talk with the duke.   --Shak.
 4. To bear the expense of; to support; to keep up; to supply with what is needed.
    Glad, by his labor, to maintain his life.   --Stirling.
    What maintains one vice would bring up two children.   --Franklin.
 5. To affirm; to support or defend by argument.
    It is hard to maintain the truth, but much harder to be maintained by it.   --South.
 Syn: -- To assert; vindicate; allege. See Assert.

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 maintain
      v 1: keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep
           clean"; "hold in place"; "She always held herself as a
           lady"; "The students keep me on my toes" [syn: keep, hold]
      2: keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or
         destruction; "We preserve these archeological findings";
         "The old lady could not keep up the building"; "children
         must be taught to conserve our national heritage"; "The
         museum curator conserved the ancient manuscripts" [syn: conserve,
          preserve, keep up]
      3: supply with necessities and support; "She alone sustained
         her family"; "The money will sustain our good cause";
         "There's little to earn and many to keep" [syn: sustain,
          keep]
      4: state categorically [syn: assert, asseverate]
      5: of power or authority [syn: wield, exert]
      6: maintain for use and service; "I keep a car in the
         countryside"; "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her
         shopping trips" [syn: keep]
      7: maintain by writing regular records; "keep a diary";
         "maintain a record"; "keep notes" [syn: keep]
      8: state or assert; "He maintained his innocence" [syn: defend]
      9: support against an opponent; "The appellate court upheld the
         verdict" [syn: uphold]
      10: observe correctly or closely; "The pianist kept time with
          the metronome"; "keep count"; "I cannot keep track of all
          my employees" [syn: observe, keep]