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.
The king's person contains the unruly people from evil occasions.
Spenser.
Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves.
Shak.