Contain — Defs

01 v. t. To hold within fixed limits; to comprise; to include; to inclose; to hold.

imp. & p. p. Contained; p. pr. & vb. n. Containing

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.

02 v. i. To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.

1.
To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.
“But if they can not contain, let them marry.” — 1 Cor. vii. 9.