Contain \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. 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. To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks.

3. To put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds. [Obs., exept as used reflexively.]

The king's person contains the unruly people from evil occasions. --Spenser.

Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves. --Shak.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)