A retainer can be: a vassal in feudal
Japan, often
Samurai providing military servicesa person being part of the
retinue (suite, train) of a dignitary etcetera, either performing personal services such as man servant, pageboy, bodyguard, or rather occasionally in proximity such as a minstrelthe part of a contractually due sum that is paid in advance, while the balance will only follow after receipt on the counterpart in goods or services; also called
advance payment or
deposit a device in
dentistry:
Retainer (orthodontic device) used to correct or keep teeth correctedan individual, in civil proceedings, assigned to maintain assets of an organization; for example, in a lawsuit between
shareholders, a judge may be asked to replace an executive who holds shares with a retainer if they believe there is a danger of the executive running the company into the ground
RFA Retainer (A329), an armament support shipa plastic substitute post-earring to prevent the closing of a piercing
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SEGUACE. DIPENDENTE. SERVITORE. ASSUNZIONE. INGAGGIO. GABBIA. FERMO