The word "maintains" has a slightly tricky spelling, but once you understand the pronunciation, it becomes easier to remember. The IPA phonetic transcription for the word shows that it is pronounced as /meɪnˈteɪnz/. The "main" portion of the word is straightforward and sounds like it is spelled. The "tain" portion is pronounced like the word "train" without the "r". Finally, the "s" at the end is pronounced like a "z". Remembering this phonetic pronunciation can help you spell this word correctly every time.
Maintains is a verb primarily carrying the meaning of keeping something in a certain state or condition. It refers to the act of preserving, upholding, or sustaining a particular thing or situation.
In a physical sense, maintains often implies the act of keeping an object or structure in good working order or preventing it from deteriorating. For instance, someone may maintain a car by regularly servicing it, or a homeowner can maintain their garden by regularly watering and weeding it.
Maintains can also have a more abstract connotation. It can refer to the ability to retain or continue something, such as preserving a certain level of quality in a product or service. For example, a company may maintain high customer satisfaction by consistently providing excellent support.
Additionally, maintains can indicate the act of asserting, defending, or affirming a particular idea, opinion, or belief. In this context, individuals or groups may maintain their position by presenting evidence, arguments, or explanations to support their stance.
Furthermore, maintains can signify the act of holding or continuing a particular attitude, mood, or behavior. For example, one can maintain a positive outlook even in challenging circumstances or maintain composure during stressful situations.
Overall, maintains encompasses the actions of keeping, preserving, upholding, defending, and continuing something, whether it be physical objects, conditions, beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "maintains" is derived from the Latin word "manus tenēre", which means "to hold in the hand". In Latin, "manus" means "hand" and "tenēre" means "to hold". Over time, this Latin phrase evolved into the Old French word "maintenir", which later became "maintain" in English. The word maintains has retained its meaning of "to hold, preserve, or sustain" throughout its etymological journey.