retainer — a fee paid in advance to secure professional services
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a fee paid in advance to secure professional services
Pronunciation (IPA): /rɪˈteɪnər/
Example Sentences
- The celebrity's lawyer demanded a huge retainer just to answer phone calls.
- She forgot to wear her retainer for a week and now her teeth have shifted back.
- The company keeps several consultants on retainer for emergency projects.
retainer
NOUN[/rɪˈteɪnər/]
a fee paid in advance to secure professional services
a fee paid in advance to secure professional services
The entertainer gets a retainer from atop the container!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from 14th-century Old French 'retenir' (to hold back, to maintain), which comes from Latin 'retinere' (to hold back again). The concept evolved from the literal sense of keeping or holding something to denote a person or thing that maintains or preserves a particular function or relationship.
Breakdown
re- (again, back) + tenere (to hold) + -er (agent noun suffix), literally 'one who holds back or maintains'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The celebrity's lawyer demanded a huge retainer just to answer phone calls.”
“She forgot to wear her retainer for a week and now her teeth have shifted back.”
“The company keeps several consultants on retainer for emergency projects.”
“The old retainer knew all the family secrets but never told a soul.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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