contained

US: (kən tānd′)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•tained  (kən tānd′), adj. 

1. showing restraint or calmness; controlled;
   poised:
   She was contained throughout the ordeal.

• late Middle English conteynyd. See contain, -ed² 1400–50

con•tain•ed•ly  (kən tā′nid lē), adv. 

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•tain /kənˈteɪn/   v. [~ + object]

1. [not: be + ~-ing] to hold or include within its volume or area:
   This glass contains water.
2. to have as contents or parts;
   include:
   [not: be + ~-ing] That food contains some dangerous chemicals.
3. to be capable of holding;
   have capacity for:
   [not: be + ~-ing] The bottle contained only a quart.
4. [not: be + ~-ing] to be equal to:
   A quart contains two pints.
5. to keep under proper control;
   restrain:
   He could not contain his amusement.
6. to prevent or hold back the advance, spread, or influence of:
   worked night and day to contain the epidemic.

con•tain•a•ble, adj. See -tain-.
Synonyms

contain, hold, and accommodate express the idea that something is designed in such a way that something else can exist or be placed within it. contain refers to what is actually within a certain container. hold emphasizes the idea of keeping something within bounds; it refers also to the greatest amount or number that can be kept within a given container. accommodate means to contain comfortably or conveniently, or to meet the needs of a certain number. A plane that accommodates fifty passengers may be able to hold sixty, but at a given time may contain only thirty.See -tain-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•tain  (kən tān′), v.t. 

1. to hold or include within its volume or area:
   This glass contains water. This paddock contains our best horses.
2. to be capable of holding;
   have capacity for:
   The room will contain 75 persons safely.
3. to have as contents or constituent parts;
   comprise;
   include.
4. to keep under proper control;
   restrain:
   He could not contain his amusement.
5. to prevent or limit the expansion, influence, success, or advance of (a hostile nation, competitor, opposing force, natural disaster, etc.):
   to contain an epidemic.
6. to succeed in preventing the spread of:
   efforts to contain water pollution.
7. [Math.] (of a number) to be a multiple of;
   be divisible by, without a remainder:
   Ten contains five.
8. to be equal to:
   A quart contains two pints.

• Latin continēre, equivalent. to con- con- + tenēre to hold (see tenet)
• Anglo-French contener, Old French contenir
• Middle English conte(y)nen 1250–1300

con•tain′a•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. Contain, accommodate, hold, express the idea that something is so designed that something else can exist or be placed within it.
  Contain refers to what is actually within a given container.
  Hold emphasizes the idea of keeping within bounds; it refers also to the greatest amount or number that can be kept within a given container.
  Accommodate means to contain comfortably or conveniently, or to meet the needs of a certain number. A passenger plane that accommodates 50 passengers may be able to hold 60, but at a given time may contain only 30.
• 3. embody, embrace.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

contain / kənˈteɪn/ verb (transitive)

1. to hold or be capable of holding or including within a fixed limit or area: this contains five pints
2. to keep (one's feelings, behaviour, etc) within bounds; restrain
3. to consist of; comprise: the book contains three different sections
4. to prevent (enemy forces) from operating beyond a certain level or area
5. to be a multiple of, leaving no remainder: 6 contains 2 and 3
6. to have as a subset

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French contenir, from Latin continēre, from com- together + tenēre to hold

conˈtainable adjective