What does contain mean?

Question

I am confused by the word "contain". Does it mean to hold or have things physically only, such as " the cup contains water" Or can it mean to have, represent or indicate abstractly such as "my ideas are contained in the book"

Seems to me if it were meant to only mean physical things could be contained, then the second example is wrong. How can we use contain in the context of the second sentence, your ideas are not physically in the book.

Can someone please explain, as dictionaries are just confusing me. Thank you!

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Both physical things and ideas may be "contained" in something.  Eg, a box and a book, respectively.

Anonymous · Answer

So Avangi, what I explained was right then?

When I look up the definition of contain, I see two main meanings:

1. Contain or hold, as "the box contained the picture frame"

2. Have within, include or embrace, as "the new policies and ideas of this government are contained within the new laws"

So I assume you mean that contain, can both mean to hold physical things, and in a sense, hold more abstract/less tangiable things right. Maybe that is why contain can mean 'embody'

Avangi · Answer

Yes, you have it exactly!

Anonymous · Answer

What about The jug can hold/contain 16 oz.

Avangi · Answer

Anonymous What about The jug can hold/contain 16 oz.

This is fine.

It's also idiomatic to use "The jug holds sixteen ounces" to describe its capacity, regardless of what it contains at any given time.

To describe the jug's present contents, we typically say that "it contains sixteen ounces."
"Can contain" is quite a different matter. This refers to its capacity.

These are the traditional phrases, together with their traditional meanings.
Of course you may express these ideas in other ways.

I recall another recent thread which addressed this point exhaustively.

What does contain mean?

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