maintain
/meɪnˈteɪn/ verb [T]Definition
› to make something continue in the same way or at the same level: Maintaining a company's brand and reputation requires a lot of hard work. Charities need only give 5% of proceeds each year to maintain a tax exemption. We have been able to maintain prices for our customers at their current level. The college has maintained links with similar institutions in other parts of the country.
› to keep a building, machine, road, etc. in good condition by checking it regularly and repairing it if necessary: The premises are clean and well maintained. Communication is made difficult by the poorly maintained road network. The commission operates and maintains 20 river bridges.
› FINANCE to make regular payments in order to support someone financially or to keep something that you already own: More and more people are struggling to afford the cost of maintaining a home.
› to say firmly that something is true: maintain (that) Senior accountants at the firm maintained they knew nothing of the transactions.
(Definition of maintain verb from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary
© Cambridge University Press)
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