Definition
To hold or keep something (or someone) in a particular place or state.
Example
Tieni la borsa mentre apro la porta.
Show translation
Hold the bag while I open the door.
Etymology
From Latin *tenēre* ("to hold, grasp"), from Proto-Indo-European *ten-* ("to stretch, extend"). The same root gives English "tendon," "tenant," and "contain," and Italian relatives like *contenere* (to contain) and *mantenere* (to maintain — literally "to hold by hand").
Cultural note
*Tenere* is a workhorse verb in Italian — it does far more than just "hold." *Tenere a* something means to care deeply about it: *Ci tengo molto* ("I really care about it / It matters a lot to me"). This construction catches many English learners off guard. Also watch out for the false friend *tenere* vs. Spanish *tener* (to have): in Italian, "to have" is *avere*, not *tenere*.