What does "retention" mean?
Retention: The power of retaining; retentiveness. No woman's heart So big, to hold so much; they lack retention. Shak.
Additional senses
- 2.That which contains something, as a tablet; a [R.] Shak.
- 3.The act of withholding; retraint; reserve. Shak.
- 4.Place of custody or confinement.
- 5.(Law) The right of withholding a debt, or of retaining property until a debt due to the person claiming the right be duly paid; a lien. Erskine. Craig. Retention cyst (Med.), a cyst produced by obstruction of a duct leading from a secreting organ and the consequent retention of the natural secretions.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00