Maintenance Meaning and Definition
Maintenance
Pronunciation
/ˈmeɪntənəns/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
Maintenance refers to the actions taken to keep something, such as a machine, system, or building, in good working order, or to restore it to that condition by repairing or replacing damaged or defective parts.
Examples
1. “Regular maintenance of the car’s engine ensured it ran smoothly.”
2. “The company scheduled maintenance for the elevator to ensure it was safe for use.”
Synonyms
1. Repair
2. Upkeep
Antonyms
1. Neglect
2. Deterioration
Additional Information
Maintenance is crucial to extend the lifespan of various assets, including buildings, machinery, and equipment. It involves a series of activities aimed at maintaining, restoring, and replacing worn-out parts or systems. This includes regular inspections, troubleshooting, and making necessary adjustments to ensure the continued efficiency and functionality of the assets. In some industries, maintenance is considered an essential function that supports overall operational safety, security, and efficiency. The implementation of an effective maintenance strategy is key to optimizing costs and resource allocation while maintaining or increasing asset value. Various approaches, including preventative maintenance, corrective maintenance, and predictive maintenance, are commonly used in various sectors, such as construction, manufacturing, and engineering. Organizations typically create detailed maintenance plans to help maintain high performance, ensuring long-term business continuity.
Etymology
The word ‘maintenance’ has its origins in the 14th-century French word ‘maintenir,’ meaning ‘to keep up, uphold, or maintain.’
Usage Notes
When used as a verb, ‘maintenance’ can refer to the act of keeping or preserving something in good condition. However, when used as a noun, it often denotes the specific actions or procedures employed in the process of upkeep. To accurately use ‘maintenance,’ ensure the correct part of speech and syntax, based on the intended context and desired meaning.
Cultural References
One of the earliest literary examples of the word ‘maintenance’ is in John Heywood’s book, “A dialogue conteyning the number of effectuall prouerbes in the englishe tongue” (1546). However, since its conception, the word ‘maintenance’ has not garnered many popular or lasting appearances in movies, television, music, or contemporary fiction. Yet, it stands as a cornerstone of fundamental mechanics and upkeep across cultures, while quietly remaining an enduring example of what might otherwise be common knowledge in this sense.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
Common expressions related to maintenance include:
- “Keep something running smoothly” – used to indicate continuous or thorough upkeep and oversight to preserve and maximize optimal efficiency or value in terms of mechanics and workflow
- “Preventive maintenance” – steps and regular monitoring applied by industry engineers in taking efforts designed toward discovering trouble for scheduling correction long prior while other performance benchmarks endure sound mechanics intact long overtimes working environments before coming fully overdue like getting hit too extremely near this dreaded accident later we wished those should otherwise set repairs properly way quicker catching causes these most generally used scenarios many consider highly much successful indeed it leaves quality many questions would so people end running sound here maintaining often through given point very old out no value most nearly without true they gave will here set under bad accidents right along sound any have may nearly broken – like using of example repair your time is not simple.
Collocations
‘Maintenance’ commonly appears with words like:
- regular maintenance
- property maintenance
- computer maintenance
- home maintenance
- building maintenance
- vehicle maintenance
Frequency of Use
‘Maintenance’ is moderately common in everyday usage and appears in various contexts, particularly in technology and construction. The word appears in approximately 1% to 2% of language contexts across several common business documents.
Common Misspellings
Misspellings and variations of ‘maintenance’ include:
- maintenence
- maintance
- maintinence
- maintinance
- maintnance