Retainer

//ɹɪˈteɪn.ə// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any thing or person that retains.
  2. 2
    a dental appliance that holds teeth (or a prosthesis) in position after orthodontic treatment wordnet
  3. 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. 4
    a person working in the service of another (especially in the household) wordnet
  5. 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."

Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    a fee charged in advance to retain the services of someone wordnet
  2. 7
    A fee one pays to reserve the other's time for services.

    "This lawyer charges a retainer for his work."

  3. 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"

  4. 9
    A retaining valve.

Etymology

From retain + -er.

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: retainer