Main*tain (?), 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.
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.
