to hold, viz.

1. to carry, bear, wear, possess; to put on, to bring give DN.i.166≈(chavadussāni etc.); Vin.i.16 = DN.i.110 (telapajjotaṃ); DN.ii.19 (chattaṃ to hold a sunshade over a person); Pv-a.47 (id.); dehaṃ dh. to “wear,” i.e. to have a body Iti.50, Iti.53 (antimaṃ d.); Ja.iv.3 (padumaṃ) Ja.vi.136; Pv.i.3#1 (vaṇṇaṃ dh. = vahasi Pv-a.14); tassa kahāpaṇaṃ daṇḍaṃ dh. “to inflict a fine of a k. on him Mil.171.
2. to hold back, restrain Vin.iv.261 (kathaṃ dhāretha how do you suppress or conceal pregnancy?); Dhp.222 (kodhaṃ).
3. to bear in mind know by heart, understand: dhammaṃ to know the Dhamma AN.iii.176; tipiṭakaṃ buddhavacanaṃ to know the 3 Piṭakas Mil.18
   ■ DN.ii.2; Pp.41 (suṇāti bhaṇati, dh. = remember). Cp. upadhāreti
   ■ With double acc.: to receive as, to take = believe, to take for consider as, call: upāsakaṃ maṃ dhāretu Bhagavā “call me your disciple” Vin.i.16 & passim; atthajālan ti pi naṃ dhārehi (call it…) DN.i.46; yathā pañhaṃ Bhagavā vyākaroti tathā naṃ dhareyyāsi (believe it) DN.i.222; yathā no (atthaṃ) Gotamo vyākarissati tathā naṃ dhāressāma DN.i.236; evaṃ maṃ dhārehi adhimuttacittaṃ (consider as) Snp.1149 (= upalakkhehi Cnd.323)
4. to admit, allow, allow for, take up, support (a cause); to give, to owe DN.i.125 (may allow), DN.i.126; AN.ii.69 (na kassa kiñci dh. pays no tribute); Mil.47 (atthaṃ).

Caus. of dharati, q.v. for etym.