retainer

• Nom avec plusieurs sens : somme versée à l'avance pour garantir des services professionnels ; personne employée au service d'un ménage ; ou appareil dentaire utilisé pour maintenir la position des dents après un traitement orthodontique.

A noun with multiple meanings: a fee paid in advance to secure professional services; a person who serves in a household; or a dental device used to maintain tooth alignment after orthodontic treatment.

1. Advance fee for servicesB2formal

   A sum of money paid in advance to secure the services of a professional, such as a lawyer or consultant.

   Acompte honoraires

   • The lawyer required a retainer before starting the case.
   • She paid a monthly retainer to her accountant.
   • The consultant's retainer covers up to 20 hours of work per month.

   Synonymesadvancedepositfeeprepayment

2. Household servantC1formalbritish

   A person who works in the service of another, especially in a domestic setting.

   Domestique attaché à une personne

   • The old manor employed several retainers to maintain the estate.
   • He was a loyal retainer to the duke for over thirty years.
   • The retainer prepared the dining room for the evening meal.

   Synonymesattendantdomesticlackeymenialservantvalet

3. Dental applianceB2formal

   A custom-made device worn in the mouth to keep teeth in position after orthodontic treatment.

   Appareil de contention dentaire

   • The orthodontist gave her a retainer to wear every night.
   • He forgot to wear his retainer, and his teeth shifted slightly.
   • The retainer helps maintain the results of braces.