I. rə̇ˈmān, rēˈ- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English remainen, from Middle French remanoir, remaindre, from Latin remanēre to stay behind, be left, from re- + manēre to stay, remain — more at mansion
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to be a part not destroyed, taken away, or used up : be still extant, present, or available : be left when the rest is gone
ruins … of the officers' quarters remain — American Guide Series: Texas
the pulpy … substance remaining after the juice is ground from sugarcane — American Guide Series: Louisiana
in the two weeks that remained to us — Kenneth Roberts
b. : to be something yet to be shown, done, or treated
how it will work remains to be seen
looked around to see what work remained
it remains to add that the author has read very widely in the subject — C.E.Bazell
2.
a. : to stay in the same place or with the same person or group
will remain in town for two days
the matter remained with Congress — A.G.Larke
specifically : to stay behind while others withdraw
asked the student to remain after school
b. obsolete : reside , dwell
3. : to continue unchanged in form, condition, status, or quantity : continue to be
the pact was to remain in force for 50 years — Americana Annual
: stand
population remains at around eight hundred — Fred Zimmer
stir well and let the mixture remain until morning
a lubricant that remains liquid at low temperatures
remain silent rather than sounding off — Stuart Chase
remains primarily a livestock state — American Guide Series: Nevada
4. of land : to stay or continue for the benefit of another than the grantor
after life estate the land still remained for the grantor's children
— see remainder 1a
transitive verb
obsolete : await
Synonyms: see stay
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from remaindre to remain — more at remain I
1. obsolete : the state of remaining : stay
my here remain in England — Shakespeare
2. : a remaining part or trace — usually used in plural
the crumpled remains of stone chimneys — Frederick Nebel
repacked the remains of the supper — C.S.Forester
fossil remains of prehistoric animals — American Guide Series: Minnesota
a female of advanced years with the remains of irresistible beauty — G.B.Shaw
3. remains plural : the works of a writer who has died ; especially : writings left unpublished by a writer at his death
edited his dead friend's literary remains
4. remains plural : a dead body
the custom of filing past the open casket to view the remains
secondary burials sometimes comprise masses of bone with the remains of several individuals — G.R.Willey