maintenance
/ˈmeɪnt(ə)nəns
/ /ˈmeɪntɪnəns/noun [mass noun]
1The process of preserving a condition or situation or the state of being preserved: crucial conditions for the maintenance of democratic government...
- Elitism, on the contrary, is the denigration of art and its consequent maintenance as the preserve of an affluent and educated minority.
- Besides, there are other issues such as planning, execution, maintenance and preservation of greenery in Chennai.
- People must know that they all can have a say in the preservation and maintenance of this way of life.
Synonyms
preservation, conservation, continuation, continuance, continuity, keeping up, carrying on, prolongation, perpetuation
1.1The process of keeping something in good condition: car maintenance [as modifier]: essential maintenance work...
- The appeal was launched 18 months ago and aims to fund essential maintenance work and the development of the Cathedral.
- I believe that the ‘well meaning’ owner Mr Talbot has said it is for the purposes of ‘essential maintenance work’.
- Bradford Council's head of highways John Blackburn, apologised for any inconvenience during the essential maintenance work.
Synonyms
upkeep, service, servicing, repair(s);
improvement, care, aftercare
2The provision of financial support for a person’s living expenses, or the support so provided: a chance of going to university with fees and maintenance paid...
- An estimated 34% of new entrants benefited from some form of means-tested financial maintenance support.
- Try and sort out the financial position: maintenance, pensions, inheritance.
- By law he is obliged to, and does, contribute financially to their maintenance.
Synonyms
nurture, feeding, life support;
financing, supporting, support, keeping, upkeep
rare sustentation, alimentation, appanage, corrody
2.1British A husband’s or wife’s provision for their spouse after separation or divorce: a divorced man paying his ex-wife £2,500 a year maintenance...
- English maintenance or alimony decrees can be lifelong.
- The most likely scenario would then be that the woman would be thrown out the house, left to her meager or nil resources to file claims for maintenance, alimony or custody of her children.
- It appears that the rules for alimony and maintenance support are the same as between heterosexual married couples, according to Byrne.
Synonyms
financial support, child support, alimony, provision, allowance, keep, upkeep, subsistence, living expenses
3 Law The offence of aiding a party in a legal action without lawful cause.That is why I referred to barratry and the old common law rules about maintenance and champerty....
- Consett Iron, which was a decision before criminal and tortious liability for maintenance and champerty were abolished by the Criminal Law Act 1967.
- His actions have a whiff of the old offence of maintenance and champerty, meddling in another's law suit for his own advantage.
Origin
Middle English (in the sense 'aiding a party in a legal action without lawful cause'): from Old French, from maintenir (see maintain).
- gist
- git
- Gita
- gitana
- gitano
- Gitega
- Gitksan
- Gitmo
- gittern
- Giuliani, Rudolph
- give
- give a dog a bad name and hang him
- give a fuck
- give a good (or bad) account of oneself
- give a man enough rope (or plenty of rope) and he will hang himself
- give and take
- give as good as one gets
- giveaway
- giveback
- give birth
- give blood
- give chase
- give evidence
- give in
- give it a rest