maintained

1. 1
   verb

   Simple past and past participle of maintain.

   The company maintained its machines on a strict schedule.

   The trails have been maintained by volunteers since the park opened.

   Note

   One regular -ed form does double duty. In they maintained the trails it is past tense, and in the trails have been maintained it is the participle; only the auxiliary tells them apart. The form carries every meaning of maintain, so read the construction. Followed by a that-clause it means asserted (she maintained that she was innocent). With an object it means kept up or kept in repair. An older sense, backing someone in an action, is obsolete.

2. 2
   adjective

   Showing signs of regular care, repair, or attention.

   The inspector praised the carefully maintained machinery on the factory floor.

   A properly maintained roof can last for several decades.

   Oppositeneglected

   Note

   An adjective that rarely stands alone: it usually leans on an adverb that grades the care, as in well-maintained, carefully maintained or properly maintained. Before a noun the well- compound takes a hyphen (a well-maintained garden). After a verb it is written open (the garden is well maintained). Because it describes a degree of upkeep, it also compares: more maintained, most maintained.

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