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Retainer
//ɹɪˈteɪn.ə// noun
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any thing or person that retains.
- 2 a dental appliance that holds teeth (or a prosthesis) in position after orthodontic treatment wordnet
- 3 A dependent or follower of someone of rank.
"If they possessed the means to marshal labour, pile up food resources and provender armies of year-round retainers, what sort of royalty would consciously elect not to do so."
- 4 a person working in the service of another (especially in the household) wordnet
- 5 A paid servant, especially one who has been employed for many years.
"Of all this family lore I knew but little and vaguely; only what is to be gathered from the fireside talk of old retainers in the nursery."
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- 6 a fee charged in advance to retain the services of someone wordnet
- 7 A fee one pays to reserve the other's time for services.
"This lawyer charges a retainer for his work."
- 8 A device that holds teeth in position after orthodontic treatment.
"You give me head / It makes it worse / Take out your fuckin' retainer / Put it in your purse"
- 9 A retaining valve.
Etymology
From retain + -er.
See also for "retainer"
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