incidental activity performed by an actor for dramatic effect; "his business with the cane was hilarious"
the volume of commercial activity; "business is good today"; "show me where the business was today"
a rightful concern or responsibility; "it's none of your business"; "mind your own business"
an immediate objective; "gossip was the main business of the evening"
business concerns collectively; "Government and business could not agree"
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it; "he bought his brother's business"; "a small mom-and-pop business"; "a racially integrated business concern"
make an oral contract or agreement in the verbal form of question and answer that is necessary to give it legal force
specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement; make an express demand or provision in an agreement; "The will stipulates that she can live in the house for the rest of her life"; "The contract stipulates the dates of the payments"
give a guarantee or promise of; "They stipulated to release all the prisoners"
keep in one's mind; "I cannot retain so much information"
secure and keep for possible future use or application; "The landlord retained the security deposit"; "I reserve the right to disagree"
allow to remain in a place or position; "We cannot continue several servants any longer"; "She retains a lawyer"; "The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff"; "Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"; "We kept the work going as long as we could"
hold within; "This soil retains water"; "I retain this drug for a long time"
the trait of being uncommunicative; not volunteering anything more than necessary
something kept back or saved for future use or a special purpose
(medicine) potential capacity to respond in order to maintain vital functions
obtain or arrange (for oneself) in advance; "We managed to reserve a table at Maxim's"
hold back or set aside, especially for future use or contingency; "they held back their applause in anticipation"
arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance; "reserve me a seat on a flight"; "The agent booked tickets to the show for the whole family"; "please hold a table at Maxim's"