LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbsecond conjugation

teneō

teneō (present infinitive tenēre, perfect active tenuī or tetinī, supine tentum)
Classical[ˈtɛ.ne.oː]Ecclesiastical[ˈtɛː.ne.o]
tenta sg. nom. f. perf. pass. ptcp.; pl. nom. n. perf. pass. ptcp.; pl. acc. n. perf. pass. ptcp.; sg. abl. f. perf. pass. ptcp.; sg. voc. f. perf. pass. ptcp.; pl. voc. n. perf. pass. ptcp.№ 106 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. to hold, have; to grasp
  2. to possess, occupy, control
  3. to watch, guard, maintain, defend; to retain, keep
  4. to reach, attain; to gain, acquire, obtain
  5. to hold fast or back, restrain, detain, check, confine, control; to bind, fetter
    “Nec tē noster amor, nec tē data dextera quondam,“[So nothing] detains you [from leaving]? Not our love? Not having once given me your hand? Not [even the thought of your] Dido about to die a cruel death?”29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.307–308
  6. reflexiveto keep back, remain, stay, hold position
  7. to know, grasp, understand, conceive
  8. to recollect, retain knowledge of, remember, bear in mind
  9. to insist, uphold
  10. to be binding on; to bind, hold, obligate
  11. to arrive at a place, reach
  12. to set, fix, hold on a fixed position
  13. to hold in prison
  14. to comprise, contain, include, hold
  15. to hold someone's interest, to be interesting (to someone)
    Hic liber me tenet.This book interests me; I find this book interesting.
  16. to embrace, hug
  17. to hold on, last

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

manū firmē habeō; vir lignum manū tenet.
teneō -ēre tenuī — in Mille Verba, Nāvāle
hold
tenent — in Seneca, ch. VIII

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Tenere · Habere · Possidere

Tenere (from τείνειν) means, to have anything fast in one’s hand, and in physical possession; habere (from σχέω) to have in one’s power, and in effective possession; possidere (from ποτί and sedere) to have, as one’s own property, and in legal possession, Plin. Ep. i. 16. Tenet, habet, possidet. (vi. 366.)

Conjugation conjugation 2

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.teneōtenēbamtenēbōtenuī
tetinī		tenueram
tetineram		tenuerō
tetinerō
2nd sg.tenēstenēbāstenēbistenuistī
tetinistī		tenuerās
tetinerās		tenueris
tetineris
3rd sg.tenettenēbattenēbittenuit
tetinit		tenuerat
tetinerat		tenuerit
tetinerit
1st pl.tenēmustenēbāmustenēbimustenuimus
tetinimus		tenuerāmus
tetinerāmus		tenuerimus
tetinerimus
2nd pl.tenētistenēbātistenēbitistenuistis
tetinistis		tenuerātis
tetinerātis		tenueritis
tetineritis
3rd pl.tenenttenēbanttenēbunttenuērunt
tenuēre, tetinērunt, tetinēre		tenuerant
tetinerant		tenuerint
tetinerint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.teneamtenēremtenuerim
tetinerim		tenuissem
tetinissem
2nd sg.teneāstenērēstenuerīs
tetinerīs		tenuissēs
tetinissēs
3rd sg.teneattenērettenuerit
tetinerit		tenuisset
tetinisset
1st pl.teneāmustenērēmustenuerīmus
tetinerīmus		tenuissēmus
tetinissēmus
2nd pl.teneātistenērētistenuerītis
tetinerītis		tenuissētis
tetinissētis
3rd pl.teneanttenērenttenuerint
tetinerint		tenuissent
tetinissent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.teneortenēbartenēbor
2nd sg.tenēris
tenēre		tenēbāris
tenēbāre		tenēberis
tenēbere
3rd sg.tenēturtenēbāturtenēbitur
1st pl.tenēmurtenēbāmurtenēbimur
2nd pl.tenēminītenēbāminītenēbiminī
3rd pl.tenenturtenēbanturtenēbuntur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.teneartenērer
2nd sg.teneāris
teneāre		tenērēris
tenērēre
3rd sg.teneāturtenērētur
1st pl.teneāmurtenērēmur
2nd pl.teneāminītenērēminī
3rd pl.teneanturtenērentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.tenētenēre
pres. 2nd pl.tenētetenēminī
fut. 2nd sg.tenētōtenētor
fut. 3rd sg.tenētōtenētor
fut. 2nd pl.tenētōte—
fut. 3rd pl.tenentōtenentor
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitivetenēretenērī
perfect infinitivetenuisse
tetinisse		tentum esse
future infinitivetentūrum essetentum īrī
present participletenēns
tenente, tenentem, tenentēs, tenentī, tenentia, tenentibus, tenentis, tenentīs, tenentium		—
perfect participle—tentus
tenta, tentā, tentae, tentam, tentārum, tentās, tente, tentī, tentīs, tentō, tentōrum, tentōs
future participletentūrus
tentūra, tentūrā, tentūrae, tentūram, tentūrārum, tentūrās, tentūre, tentūrī, tentūrīs, tentūrō, tentūrōrum, tentūrōs, tentūrum		tenendus
gerundtenendī, tenendō, tenendumsupinetentum, tentū

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

lege teneri
to be bound by a law.
lecto teneri
to be confined to one's bed.
animos tenere
to rivet the attention of...
clavum tenere
to steer.
domi se tenere
to never appear in public.
illud, hoc teneo
I abide by this opinion.
institutum tenere
to remain true to one's principles.
magno errore teneri
to be in gross error, seriously misled.
37 more phrases
risum tenere vix posse
to be scarcely able to restrain one's laughter.
spe duci, niti, teneri
to cherish a hope.
memoriā tenere aliquid
to remember a thing perfectly.
mordicus tenere aliquid
to hold fast in the teeth (also metaphorically, obstinately).
lacrimas tenere non posse
to be hardly able to restrain one's tears.
ius suum tenere, obtinere
to maintain one's right.
clavum rei publicae tenere
to hold the reins of government.
studio alicuius rei teneri
to have an inclination for a thing.
tenere montem (B. G. 1. 22)
to hold a mountain.
se (quietum) tenere castris
to remain inactive in camp.
oppidum in obsidione tenere
to keep a town in a state of siege.
imber tenet (Liv. 23. 44. 6)
the rain continues.
memoriam alicuius rei tenere
to remember a thing perfectly.
imperium tenere (in aliquem)
to have power over some one.
principatum tenere, obtinere
to occupy the leading position.
manu or in manu tenere aliquid
to hold something in one's hand.
eloquentiae principatum tenere
to be considered the foremost orator.
recenti memoria tenere aliquid
to have a vivid recollection of a thing.
testibus teneri, convictum esse
to be convicted by some one's evidence.
tenere aliquid; stare in aliqua re
to insist on a point.
imperii summam tenere (Rep. 2. 28)
to be commander-in-chief.
fide obstrictum teneri (Pis. 13. 29)
to be bound by one's word; to be on one's honour.

tĕnĕo, tĕnŭi, tentum, 2 (
I. perf. subj. tetinerim, Pac. ap. Non. 178, 15: tetinerit, Att. ib. 178, 12: tetinisse, Pac. ib. 178, 11; fut. perf. tetinero, acc. to Fest. p. 252 Müll. Another collat. form of the perf. tenivi, acc. to Charis. p. 220 P.; Diom. pp. 363 and 369 ib.), v. a. and n. root ten-, tan-; Gr. τάνυμαι, τείνω; Sanscr. tanomi, to stretch, spread; this root appears in many derived meanings; cf. Lat.: tendo, tenuis, tener, tenor, tenus.
I. Act., to hold, keep, have in the hand, in the mouth, etc.
A. Lit.
1. In gen.: Eu. Porrige bracchium, prehende: jam tenes? Cha. Teneo. Eu. Tene, Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 42; cf. argentum, id. Pers. 3, 3, 9: cum pyxidem teneret in manu, Cic. Cael. 26, 63; for which: aliquid manu, Quint. 10, 7, 31; Ov. M. 11, 560; id. A. A. 1, 320; Hor. Ep. 1, 19, 34: aliquid dextrā, Ov. F. 1, 99: digitis, id. ib. 2, 102; id. M. 9, 86; 9, 522: lacertis, id. ib. 2, 100 al.: radicem ore, Cic. Div. 2, 68, 141: cibum ore, Phaedr. 1, 4, 6; for which: decoctum diu in ore, Plin. 25, 13, 105, § 166: aliquem in sinu, Ov. H. 3, 114; for which: aliquem sinu, id. ib. 13, 157: flabellulum, Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 50: facem, Verg. A. 6, 224: telum, Liv. 2, 19. — Prov.: manu tenere aliquid, to seize, grasp, or comprehend a thing which is palpable or evident: aliter leges, aliter philosophi tollunt astutias: leges, quātenus manu tenere possunt; philosophi, quātenus ratione et intellegentiā, Cic. Off. 3, 17, 68; cf.: cum res non conjecturā, sed oculis ac manibus teneretur, id. Clu. 7, 20. —
2. In partic.
a. With the accessory idea of possession, to hold, i. e. to be master of, have in one's power, possess, etc. (syn.: possideo, habeo): multa hereditatibus, multa emptionibus, multa dotibus tenebantur sine injuriā, Cic. Off. 2, 23, 81: quae tenuit dives Achaemenes, Hor. C. 2, 12, 21: Evander qui multis ante tempestatibus tenuerat loca, Liv. 1, 5: provinciam a praedonibus liberam, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 11, 32: colles praesidiis, Caes. B. C. 3, 43: Formiarum moenia et Lirim, Hor. C. 3, 17, 8: tenente Caesare terras, id. ib. 3, 14, 15: rem publicam, Cic. Mur. 39, 83; id. Sest. 19, 44: summam imperii, Caes. B. G. 3, 22: equitum centurias, Cic. Fam. 11, 16, 3: alterum cornu, to command, Nep. Pelop. 4, 3: provincias aliaque omnia, Sall. C. 39, 2: scenam, to have sole possession of. rule over, Suet. Tit. 7. — Of the possession of the object of affection: te tenet, Tib. 1, 6, 35; 2, 6, 52; Verg. E. 1, 32; Ov. H. 2, 103 Ruhnk.; 15, 88; id. Am. 3, 7, 3; Phaedr. 2, 2, 4.—In colloq. lang., teneo te, I have you once more, of again seeing the beloved person: teneone te, Antiphila, maxime animo exoptata meo? Ter. Heaut. 2, 4, 27 Ruhnk.; Sen. Ben. 7, 4; Ov. H. 18, 183; cf.: et comitem Aenean juxta natumque tenebat Ingrediens, Verg. A. 8, 308.—Also like our I have you (fast, bound, etc.): teneo te, inquam, nam ista Academiae est propria sententia, Cic. Ac. 2, 48, 148; id. Quint. 20, 63.—Absol.: qui tenent (sc. rem publicam), who are in possession of the State, of public affairs: qui tenent, qui potiuntur, Cic. Att. 7, 12, 3; 2, 18, 1. —
b. With the accessory idea of firmness, persistence, to hold fast, occupy; to watch, guard, defend; to maintain, retain a thing: legio locum non tenuit atque in proximum collem se recepit, Caes. B. C. 1, 44: montes teneri, id. B. G. 3, 2: haec noctu firmis praesidiis tenebantur, id. ib. 7, 69: Capitolia celsa tenebat, Verg. A. 8, 653: quo teneam Protea nodo? Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 90: te neque intra Claustra tenebo, id. C. 3, 11, 44; cf.: in manicis et Compedibus saevo te sub custode tenebo, id. Ep. 1, 16, 77: laqueis (se) sensit teneri ... fugam frustra tentabat; at illam Lenta tenet radix exsultantemque coërcet, Ov. M. 11, 74 sq.; 1, 535: Athenae tuae sempiternam in arce oleam tenere potuerunt, Cic. Leg. 1, 1, 2: agri qui diu aquam tenent, Pall. Apr. 2, 4: classem ibi tenebat, Liv. 31, 46, 8: secundissimo vento cursum tenere, to hold or keep one's course, Cic. N. D. 3, 34, 83; cf.: vento intermisso cursum non tenuit, Caes. B. G. 5, 8; 4, 28; so, cursum, Cic. Planc. 21, 52; id. Rep. 1, 2, 3 fin.; Quint. 4, 3, 13: quo iter, Verg. A. 1, 370; Plin. Ep. 6, 16, 10: (lunam) fingunt cursus viam sub sole tenere, Lucr. 5, 714: tenuit tamen vestigia Bucar, Liv. 29, 32, 6.—
c. With the accessory idea of reaching the object aimed at, to reach, attain a place: montes effuso cursu Sabini petebant et pauci tenuere, Liv. 1, 37, 4: regionem, id. 30, 25, 11: Tenum, id. 36, 21, 1: terram, id. 37, 16, 4; 37, 11, 5; 37, 13, 4; 26, 29, 4: Hesperiam, Ov. F. 1, 498: portus, id. H. 18, 198; Tac. Agr. 38 fin.: cum quibus (navibus) Cythnum insulam tenuit, id. H. 2, 9.—
d. With the accessory idea of movement impeded, to hold fast, hold back, hinder, restrain, detain, check, control, stay, etc.: naves, quae vento tenebantur, Caes. B. G. 4, 22: quid hic agatur, scire poteris ex eo, qui litteras attulit, quem diutius tenui, quia, etc., Cic. Att. 11, 3, 1: si id te non tenet, advola, id. Fam. 16, 19: septimum jam diem Corcyrae tenebamur, id. ib. 16, 7 init.: Marcellum ab gerundis rebus valetudo adversa Nolae tenuit, Liv. 24, 20, 7: non tenebo te pluribus, Cic. Fam. 11, 16, 3; cf. absol.: ne diutius teneam, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 13, § 34: solutum (corpus) tenere, Cels. praef. med.; cf. ventrem, id. 4, 19 med.: tene linguam, Ov. F. 2, 602: pecus omne tenendum, Verg. G. 2, 371: vix a te videor posse tenere manus, Ov. Am. 1, 4, 10; so, manus, id. M. 13, 203; cf.: manum stomachumque teneto, Hor. S. 2, 7, 44: saeva tene cum Berecyntio Cornu tympana, id. C. 1, 18, 13: et Phoebi tenuere viam, i. e. impeded, closed up, Luc. 5, 136: quo me decet usque teneri? Verg. A. 5, 384: lacrimas, Caes. B. G. 1, 39; so, lacrimas in morte miserā non tenebamus, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 67, § 172: dictator exercitum in stativis tenebat, Liv. 6, 14, 1. —
(b). Esp.: se tenere, to keep back, remain, stay: Sabinus castris sese tenebat, Caes. B. G. 3, 17; 1, 40; Liv. 2, 45, 2: nullā clade acceptā castris se pavidus tenebat, id. 3, 26, 3: Hasdrubal procul ab hoste intervallo tenebat se, id. 23, 26, 2: se domi a conventu remotum tenere, Nep. Dion, 9, 1: ego tamen teneo ab accusando vix me hercule: sed tamen teneo, restrain myself, refrain, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 2, 2: nec se tenuit, quin, etc., id. Ac. 2, 4, 12; cf. mid.: teneri non potui, quin tibi apertius illud idem his litteris declararem, id. Att. 15, 14, 2; Just. 6, 7, 10; cf.: se intra silentium tenuit, Plin. Ep. 4, 17, 8: multum me intra silentium tenui, id. ib. 7, 6, 6.—
B. Trop.
1. In gen., to hold, contain in the mind, to conceive, comprehend, know (syn.: percipio, intellego): nunc ego teneo, nunc scio, Quid sit hoc negotii, Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 39: tenes Quorsum haec tendant quae loquor, id. Ps. 1, 2, 81: tenes, quid dicam? Ter. Heaut. 4, 3, 22: teneo, I understand, id. And. 1, 1, 59: teneo quid erret, id. 3, 2, 18; Cic. Rep. 1, 23, 37; cf.: quibus capiatur Caesar, tenes, Caecin. ap. Cic. Fam. 6, 7, 5: quae a Romanis auguribus ignorantur, a Cilicibus ... Lyciis tenentur, Cic. Div. 1, 15, 25: quoniam ea, quae tenebatis ipsi, etiam ex me audire voluistis, id. Rep. 1, 46, 70: alicujus reconditos sensus, id. Sest. 10, 22: quo pacto cuncta tenerem, Hor. S. 2, 4, 8: et teneo melius ista, Mart. 4, 37, 7.—With inf.: nullus frugi esse homo potest, nisi qui et bene facere et male tenet, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 10; Lucr. 3, 647.—
2. In partic.
a. To have possession of, have the mastery of, to control any thing: cum rem publicam opes paucorum non virtutes tenere coeperunt, Cic. Rep. 1, 34, 51.—
b. To hold fast, guard, preserve, uphold, keep, insist (syn. servo): sin consuetudinem meam, quam in re publicā semper habui, tenuero, Cic. Phil. 1, 11, 27: ordinem, id. ib. 5, 13, 35: portum, id. Fam. 1, 9, 21: statum, id. Rep. 1, 28, 44: non tenebat ornatum suum civitas, id. ib. 1, 27, 43: si jus suum populi teneant, id. ib. 1, 32, 48: nec diutius umquam tenetur idem rei publicae modus, id. ib. 1, 44, 68: est boni viri, haec duo tenere in amicitiā, etc., id. Lael. 18, 65: morem, id. Off. 3, 10, 44; so id. Fl. 7, 15; Verg. A. 3, 408: foedus, Cic. Balb. 15, 34: tenebat non modo auctoritatem, sed etiam imperium in suos, id. Sen. 11, 37: silentium, Liv. 1, 28, 8.—
c. To hold fast, maintain, support, defend, uphold, insist: illud arcte tenent accurateque defendunt, voluptatem esse summum bonum, hold fast, maintain, Cic. Par. 1, 3, 14; cf.: illud, quod multos annos tenuisset, id. Ac. 2, 22, 71; and: quod idem Peripatetici non tenent, id. Fin. 3, 13, 44: propositum tenere, to maintain, Caes. B. C. 3, 42, 1: suas leges, Cic. Verr. 1, 4, 13: causam apud centumviros, id. Caecin. 24, 67: quo causae teste tenentur, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 43: locum quendam cum aliquo, Cic. Brut. 21, 81.— With ne: plebs tenuit, ne consules in proximum annum crearentur, Liv. 4, 30, 16: ne quid ferretur ad populum, patres tenuere, id. 3, 29, 8; 24, 19, 7. — With ut: tenuere patres, ut Fabius consul crearetur, Liv. 2, 42, 2 Weissenb. ad loc.: scripseram tenuisse Varenum ut sibi evocare testes liceret, Plin. Ep. 6, 5, 1.—
d. Of memory: alicujus memoriam cum summā benevolentiā tenere, to recollect, preserve a recollection of, Cic. Fam. 6, 2, 1.—Esp.: memoriā tenere: memoriā tenetis, compluris in Capitolio res de caelo esse percussas, you remember, Cic. Cat. 3, 8, 19; id. Fam. 1, 9, 12; Caes. B. G. 1, 14; cf.: memoriā teneo, C. Sulpicium Gallum, etc., id. Rep. 1, 14, 21; v. memoria; so without memoria, to bear in mind, remember, recollect: satin' haec meministi et tenes? Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 1: numeros memini, si verba tenerem, Verg. E. 9, 45: dicta tenere, Hor. A. P. 336; id. S. 2, 4, 8: quem (Cyrum) omnia militum tenuisse creditum est nomina, Quint. 11, 2, 50; 11, 2, 45.—
e. To reach an object striven after, to gain, acquire, obtain, attain (syn. assequor): per cursum rectum regnum tenere, Cic. Agr. 2, 17, 44: Servium Tullium post hunc captivā natum, ingenio virtute regnum tenuisse, Liv. 4, 3, 12: teneri res aliter non potest, Cic. Fam. 1, 1, 3: multa tenuisse, Liv. 42, 11, 8: causam, Ov. M. 13, 190.—
f. To hold, hold back, repress, restrain, bind, fetter, etc. (syn.: refreno, retineo): iracundiam teneat, avaritiam coërceat, Cic. Par. 5, 1, 33: dolorem, id. Att. 12, 38, 2: cupiditates, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 1, § 3: somnum, id. Brut. 80, 278: risum, id. Vatin. 8, 20; Hor. A. P. 5: iram, Curt. 4, 2, 5: ea, quae occurrant, tenere, to hold back, keep to themselves, Cic. de Or. 2, 54, 221.—
g. Of laws, etc., to bind, hold, obligate, be binding on, control, etc.: quamquam leges eum non tenent, Cic. Phil. 11, 5, 11; cf.: interdicto non teneri, id. Caecin. 14, 41: voto quodam et promisso teneri, id. Att. 12, 18, 1: ut plebi scita omnes Quirites tenerent, Liv. 8, 12, 14; cf.: olim patricii dicebant se plebi scitis non teneri, Gai. Inst. 1, 3: cum velut in controverso jure esset, tenerenturne patres plebi scitis, legem tulere, ut quod tributim plebis jussisset, populum teneret, Liv. 3, 55, 3: teneri alienis foederibus, id. 24, 29, 11: poenā teneri, to be subject or liable to, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 5: testibus in re perspicuā teneri, to be convicted, id. Caecin. 2, 4; cf.: nemo ita in manifesto peccatu tenebatur, ut, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 78, § 191: caedis teneri, Quint. 5, 14, 11: teneri repetundarum, Tac. A. 11, 7 fin.: furti, Dig. 6, 1, 4: injuriarum, ib. 47, 10, 11: mandati, ib. 17, 1, 10.—Transf.: nisi illi ipsi, qui eas (libidines) frangere deberent, cupiditatis ejusdem tenerentur, Cic. Leg. 3, 13, 31 Mos. and Orell. N. cr.—
h. Of dispositions, desires, etc., to possess, occupy, control: quae te tanta pravitas mentis tenuerit, ut, etc., has had possession of you, Cic. Vatin. 6, 14: summum me eorum (librorum) studium tenet, id. Att. 1, 11, 3: magna me spes tenet, id. Tusc. 1, 41, 97: de triumpho nulla me cupiditas umquam tenuit, id. Att. 7, 2, 6: si consilio pulso libidines iracundiaeve tenerent omnia, id. Rep. 1, 38, 60: nisi forte quem inhonesta et perniciosa libido tenet, Sall. J. 3, 4: neque irā neque gratiā teneri, to be controlled or influenced, Cic. N. D. 1, 17, 45; so, teneri desiderio, id. Sen. 10, 33: studio philosophiae, id. Ac. 1, 2, 4: magno amore, Verg. A. 1, 675: pompā, ludis atque ejusmodi spectaculis teneri, to be enchained, fascinated, Cic. Fin. 5, 18, 48; cf.: ut oculi picturā teneantur, aures cantibus, id. Ac. 2, 7, 20: is qui audit, ab oratore jam obsessus est ac tenetur, id. Or. 62, 210.—With ne, Ov. M. 7, 146. —
k. To take in, comprise, comprehend, include: haec magnos formula reges, Excepto sapiente, tenet, Hor. S. 2, 3, 46.—More freq. pass.: teneri aliquā re, to be contained, comprised, grounded, to consist in a thing: ut homines deorum agnatione et gente teneantur, Cic. Leg. 1, 7, 23: id quod (genus officiorum) teneatur hominum societate, id. Off. 1, 45, 160: quae (causae) familiaritate et consuetudine tenentur, id. Fam. 13, 29, 1: dixi jam antea, ipsam rationem arandi spe magis et jucunditate quadam quam fructu atque emolumento teneri, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 98, § 227.
II. Neutr. (freq. after the Aug. per.; perh. not in Cic.).
A. Lit.
1. To hold a position anywhere, maintain one's self: quā abscisae rupes erant, statio paucorum armatorum tenebat, Liv. 32, 5, 12: duo extra ordinem milia tenuere, id. 3, 62, 7: tenent Danai, quā deficit ignis, Verg. A. 2, 505.—
2. For cursum tenere, to hold or take one's way, to sail, steer in any direction: Aeneam ... ab Siciliā classe ad Laurentem agrum tenuisse, Liv. 1, 1, 4: Cassandream petentes, primo ad Mendin tenuere, Liv. 31, 45, 14: ad Mendaeum, id. 21, 49, 2: Diam, Ov. M. 3, 690: Creten, id. ib. 13, 706: Hesperiam, id. F. 1, 498: Ausoniam, id. ib. 4, 290 al.: medio tutissimus ibis ... Inter utrumque tene, Ov. M. 2, 140.—
B. Trop., with the accessory idea of continuance (cf. I. A. 2. b. and B. 2. b. supra), to hold out, hold on, last, endure, continue, maintain itself, prevail, etc. (cf. obtineo): imber per noctem totam tenuit, Liv. 23, 44, 6; cf.: incendium per duas noctes ac diem unum tenuit, id. 24, 47, 15: per aliquot dies ea consultatio tenuit, id. 2, 3, 5; 3, 47, 6: tenet fama, lupam, etc., id. 1, 4, 6: quod nunc quoque tenet nomen, id. 1, 17, 6: fama tenuit, haud plus fuisse modio, id. 23, 12, 2; 21, 46, 10: tenuit consuetudo, quae cottidie magis invalescit, ut, etc., Quint. 2, 1, 1 Spald.; so, consuetudo, ut, etc., id. 8, 5, 2: nomen illud tenet, id. 9, 4, 47 Spald.; cf. Ov. M. 1, 712.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *tenēō, stative from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch, draw”). See also Ancient Greek τείνω (teínō), Persian تنیدن (tanidan, “to weave”), Sanskrit तनोति (tanóti) and Old English þennan.

Insular Romance
  • Sardiniantènnere
  • Sardiniantenni
  • Sardiniantènniri
Gallo-Romance
  • Occitanténerfrom Old Occitan tener
  • Catalantenir
  • Occitantenirfrom Old Occitan tenir
  • Franco-Provençaltenir
  • Old Frenchtenir
Balkano-Romance
  • Romanianține
  • Romanianținea
  • Romanianцине
  • Aromaniantsãn
  • Aromaniantsãnu
  • Aromaniantsen
  • Istro-Romanianţir
  • Istro-Romanianţire
  • Megleno-Romaniantsǫn
Ibero-Romance
  • Portugueseterfrom Old Galician-Portuguese tẽer
  • Spanishtener
  • Aragonesetener
  • Asturiantener
  • Mirandesetener
  • Galicianterfrom Old Galician-Portuguese tẽer
Borrowings
  • Englishtenon
  • Englishtenet
Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italiantenere
  • Corsicantena
  • Dalmatiantenar
  • Neapolitantenere
  • Siciliantèniri
  • Venetantegner
  • Venetantegnar
  • Venetantenjirfrom Old Venetan tignir
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friuliantignî
  • Romanshtgnair
Gallo-Italic
  • Emiliantgnîr
  • Lombardtegnì
  • Old Liguriantegnir
  • Piedmontesetnì

In English words that came into English from teneō

  • continentcontinens
  • entertaininter
  • tenantteneō
  • contentcontentus
  • obtainobtinēre
  • sustainsustineō
  • abstainabstineō
  • containcontinēre
  • continuouscontinuus
  • maintainmanuteneo
  • tenortenor
  • reinretina
  • tenacioustenāx
  • retain*retino
  • pertainpertineo
  • retentionretentiō
  • abstinenceabstinentia
  • detentiondetentio
  • tenettenet
  • pertinentpertinēns
  • tenacitytenācitās
  • appurtenanceappertineō
  • continuumcontinuum
  • tenementtenimentum

Quick answers

What does teneō mean in Latin?
teneō, a verb, means “to hold, have; to grasp; to possess, occupy, control”.
What are the principal parts of teneō?
teneō, tenēre, tenuī, tentum (second conjugation).
How do you pronounce teneō?
In classical Latin, [ˈtɛ.ne.oː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈtɛː.ne.o].
Which English words come from teneō?
English words that go back to Latin teneō include entertain, tenant, obtain, sustain, abstain and contain.