Word · Frequency #14524
retainer
牙齿保持器
a removable dental device that keeps teeth in position after orthodontic treatment
- 1.
Any thing or person that retains.
任何具有保持作用的事物或人。
- 2.
A dependent or follower of someone of rank.
身份高者的依附者或随从。
- 3.
A paid servant, especially one who has been employed for many years.
雇佣的仆人,尤指已工作多年的仆人。
- 4.
A fee one pays to reserve the other's time for services.
为预约对方服务时间而支付的费用。
- 5.
A device that holds teeth in position after orthodontic treatment.
一种在牙齿矫正治疗后使牙齿保持位置的装置。
- 6.
A retaining valve.
一种保持阀。
聘用定金；预付服务费；侍从；仆人；随从；保持者；保持器；保持阀；任何具有保持作用的事物或人。
In use
The lawyer asked for a monthly retainer of $2,000 before taking on the case.
After getting my braces off, I have to wear a retainer every night to keep my teeth straight.
In medieval times, a knight's retainer would accompany him into battle and serve his needs.
pay a retainer (to sb)
retainer 作“预付聘用金”解时，常与 pay 连用。
The company paid a retainer to the lawyer.
公司向律师支付了预付聘用金。
wear a retainer
retainer 指牙齿保持器时，常用 wear 搭配。
She wears a retainer every night to keep her teeth straight.
她每晚戴保持器以保持牙齿整齐。
serve as a retainer (for sb)
retainer 作“家臣”解时，常与 serve as 搭配。
Connections
Collocations
- dental retainer
- 牙齿保持器
- She got a dental retainer after her braces were removed.她摘下牙套后配了一个牙齿保持器。
- wear a retainer
- 佩戴保持器
- The orthodontist told me to wear a retainer every night.正畸医生告诉我要每晚佩戴保持器。
- retainer fee
- 聘用定金；预付服务费
- The consultant requires a retainer fee before starting the project.顾问要求在项目开始前支付一笔预付服务费。
- loyal retainer
- 忠实的侍从；忠仆
- The loyal retainer served the family for generations.这位忠实的仆人世代为这个家族服务。
Idioms & figurative uses
- on retainer
- 受聘待命；长期聘用They have a lawyer on retainer for all their legal matters.他们常年聘请一名律师处理所有法律事务。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
联想 retain（保持）加 -er：牙套保持牙齿位置，定金留住服务，随从依附主人。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：牙科诊所、正畸治疗 作“牙齿保持器”讲时，多用于看牙医或谈论牙齿矫正治疗的场景，属于日常中性词；语气自然，不限于正式场合。
Grammar Note
可数名词
Pronunciation & Spelling
All six listed words rhyme with retainer: their final stressed vowel is /eɪ/ followed by /nə/. Beware useful lookalikes: retina /ˈretɪnə/ has a different vowel and stress, and retain /rɪˈteɪn/ lacks the final /ə/, so neither rhymes with retainer.
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.