trattenere

Trattenere is an Italian transitive verb meaning to hold back, restrain, or prevent from moving or escaping. It can also mean to retain or withhold something, or to keep a person from leaving, depending on context. The sense ranges from physical restraint to the limitation of actions, emotions, or information.

In use, trattenere covers both literal and figurative meanings. Examples include holding a door to prevent it from slamming, detaining someone for a short time, or damming back water. Figurative uses include restraining impulses, withholding details, delaying progress, or keeping a risk or expense under control. Expressions such as trattenere le lacrime (to hold back tears), trattenere il respiro (to hold one’s breath), and trattenersi dal dire qualcosa (to refrain from saying something) are common. It can also denote withholding money, resources, or rights, or curbing a reaction or enthusiasm.

Morphology and grammar notes: trattenere is a verb of the -ere group and follows the pattern of tenere, with the prefix tra-. The infinitive is trattenere; past participle, trattenuto; gerund, trattenendo. In compound tenses, it uses avere: ho trattenuto. The present tense forms follow the standard tenere family, for example io tratteno, tu trattieni, lui trattiene, noi tratteniamo, voi trattenete, loro tratengono (or trattenono, depending on regional usage). Reflexive use is common (trattenersi), as in trattengo me stesso dal fare something.

Etymology: the word derives from Latin ideas of holding, with a prefix similar to tra- plus tenere, and is related to other Italian verbs such as contenere and frenare.