Word Study
Pertain
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Verb Pertain has 2 senses
- pertain(v = verb.stative) bear on, come to, concern, have-to doe with, refer, relate, touch, touch on - be relevant to; "There were lots of questions referring to her talk"; "My remark pertained to your earlier comments" Derived forms noun pertinence1, noun pertinency1, adjective pertinent2
- pertain(v = verb.stative) appertain - be a part or attribute of; Array is one way to belong, belong to
Sample sentences:
Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Derived form adjective pertinent1
Sample sentence:
Something ----s to somebody
CIDE DICTIONARY
Pertain, v. i. [OE. partenen, OF. partenir, fr. L. pertinere to stretch out, reach, pertain; per + tenere to hold, keep. See Per-, and Tenable, and cf. Appertain, Pertinent.].
- To belong; to have connection with, or dependence on, something, as an appurtenance, attribute, etc.; to appertain; as, saltness pertains to the ocean; flowers pertain to plant life. [1913 Webster]"Men hate those who affect that honor by ambition which pertaineth not to them." [1913 Webster]
- To have relation or reference to something. [1913 Webster]"These words pertain unto us at this time as they pertained to them at their time." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
Pertain, v.intr.
1 (foll. by to) a relate or have reference to. b belong to as a part or appendage or accessory.
2 (usu. foll. by to) be appropriate to.
1 (foll. by to) a relate or have reference to. b belong to as a part or appendage or accessory.
2 (usu. foll. by to) be appropriate to.
Etymology
ME f. OF partenir f. L pertinere (as PER-, tenere hold)
THESAURUS
Pertain
affect, appertain, appertain to, apply, apply to, associate, bear, bear on, befit, combine, concern, connect, cover, include, join, pertain to, refer to, regard, relate, relate to, vest
For further exploring for "Pertain" in Webster Dictionary Online