remain

Hey there! Remain is a super useful verb that pops up all the time. Think of it as a way to describe something that doesn't change or someone who stays put.

When you use remain, you are often talking about stability. For example, if the weather remains sunny, it means it isn't getting cloudy. It's a great word to sound a bit more precise than just saying 'stay'.

It also has a slightly more formal feel than 'stay'. You might hear it in news reports or academic writing because it sounds professional and clear. It’s all about maintaining a state or a location over time.

The word remain has a long and interesting journey. It comes from the Old French word remaindre, which traces all the way back to the Latin word remanere.

The Latin root is actually a combination of re- (meaning 'back' or 'again') and manere (meaning 'to stay' or 'to dwell'). So, historically, it literally means to 'stay back'.

It entered the English language around the 13th century. It’s fascinating how it has kept its core meaning of 'staying' for hundreds of years, while its usage has expanded into more abstract concepts like 'remaining calm' or 'remaining a mystery'.

You can use remain in many different ways. It is often followed by an adjective, like remain calm or remain silent. This structure is very common in formal settings.

You can also use it to talk about what is left over, like 'only a few cookies remained in the jar'. This is a bit more descriptive than saying 'there were only a few left'.

Remember that remain is a stative verb. This means we don't usually use it in the continuous form (e.g., we don't say 'it is remaining'). It’s best used in simple or perfect tenses.

1. It remains to be seen: This means something is not yet known or decided. Example: It remains to be seen if the new policy will work.

2. Remain the same: To stay identical. Example: Some things will always remain the same.

3. Remain at large: Used for criminals who haven't been caught. Example: The suspect remains at large.

4. Remain in force: To still be active or valid. Example: The rules remain in force until next year.

5. Remain in power: To keep a political position. Example: The party hopes to remain in power after the election.

Remain is a regular verb. Its past tense and past participle form is remained. It is pronounced /rɪˈmeɪn/ in both British and American English.

When using it with adjectives, it acts as a linking verb, similar to 'be' or 'seem'. For example, 'The house remained empty'.

It rhymes with words like explain, drain, gain, plain, and train. The stress is on the second syllable, which is typical for many English verbs of Latin origin.