CONTAIN

contain. Contain, v.t. to hold, comprise, keep chaste, restrain

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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. 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. 2. To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks.
3. 3. To put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds.
The king's person contains the unruly people from evil occasions. Spenser. Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves. Shak.