main·te·nance n
1 a: the act of providing basic and necessary support
b: the state of having such support
2: a financial means of providing necessary assistance: as
a: alimony
b: support
3: the necessities of life provided for by payment of maintenance
4: the upkeep of property or equipment
5: unsought and unnecessary meddling in a lawsuit by assisting either party with means to carry it on compare champerty
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.