3 definitions
for pertain
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :
Pertain \Per*tain"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pertained; p. pr. &
vb. n. Pertaining.] [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.]
1. 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. --Hayward.
[1913 Webster]
2. 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. --Latimer.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 :
pertain
v 1: have to do with or be relevant to; "There were lots of
questions referring to her talk"; "My remark pertained
to your earlier comments" [syn: refer, relate, concern,
come to, bear on, touch, touch on]
2: be a part or attribute of [syn: appertain]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :
21 Moby Thesaurus words for "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
