hold

¹

[ hohld ]

verb (used with object)

, held; held or (Archaic) hold·en; hold·ing.

1. to have or keep in the hand; keep fast; grasp:

   She held the purse in her right hand.

   He held the child's hand in his.

2. to set aside; reserve or retain:

   to hold merchandise until called for;

   to hold a reservation.

3. to bear, sustain, or support, as with the hands or arms, or by any other means.
4. to keep in a specified state, relation, etc.:

   The preacher held them spellbound.

5. to detain:

   The police held him at the station house.

6. to engage in; preside over; carry on:

   to hold a meeting.

7. to keep back from action; hinder; restrain:

   Fear held him from acting.

8. to have the ownership or use of; keep as one's own; occupy:

   to hold political office.

   Synonyms: own, possess

9. to contain or be capable of containing:

   This bottle holds a quart.

10. to bind or make accountable to an obligation:

    We will hold you to your promise to pay back the money.

11. to have or keep in the mind; think or believe:

    We hold this belief.

    Synonyms: have, espouse, embrace

12. to regard or consider:

    to hold a person responsible.

    Synonyms: judge, esteem, deem

13. to decide legally.
14. to consider of a certain value; rate:

    We held her best of all the applicants.

15. to keep forcibly, as against an adversary:

    Enemy forces held the hill.

16. to point, aim, or direct:

    He held a gun on the prisoner.

    The firefighter held a hose on the blaze.

17. Music. to sustain (a note, chord, or rest).
18. to omit from the usual order or combination:

    Give me a burger well-done—hold the pickle.

verb (used without object)

, held; held or (Archaic) hold·en; hold·ing.

1. to remain or continue in a specified state, relation, etc.:

   Hold still while I take your picture.

   Synonyms: endure, last, persist

2. to remain fast; adhere; cling:

   The buttonhole stitching is so frayed that the button no longer holds.

   Synonyms: stick

3. to keep or maintain a grasp on something.
4. to maintain one's position against opposition; continue in resistance.
5. to agree or side (usually followed by with ):

   to hold with new methods.

6. to keep a telephone connection open; refrain from hanging up (often followed by on ):

   The customer service rep asked me to hold while she checked my account balance.

   Hold on, I’ve got another incoming call.

7. to hold property by some tenure; derive title (usually followed by by, from, in, or of ).
8. to remain attached, faithful, or steadfast (usually followed by to ):

   to hold to one's purpose.

9. to remain valid; be in force:

   The rule does not hold.

10. to refrain or forbear (usually used imperatively).

noun

1. an act of holding fast by a grasp of the hand or by some other physical means; grasp; grip:

   Take hold.

   Do you have a hold on the rope?

2. something to hold a thing by, as a handle; something to grasp, especially for support.
3. something that holds fast or supports something else.
4. an order reserving something:

   to put a hold on a library book.

5. Finance. a security purchased or recommended for long-term growth.
6. a controlling force or dominating influence:

   to have a hold on a person.

7. Wrestling. a method of seizing an opponent and keeping him in control:

   a toe hold.

8. Music. fermata ( def ).
9. a pause or delay, as in a continuing series:

   a hold in the movements of a dance.

10. a prison or prison cell.
11. a receptacle for something:

    a basket used as a hold for letters.

12. Rocketry. a halt in the prelaunch countdown, either planned or unexpectedly called, to allow correction of one or more faults in the rocket or missile.
13. a fortified place; stronghold.
14. (on telephones with two or more lines) a feature that enables a person to maintain a connection on one line while answering another line.

verb phrase

1. 1. to present; offer.
   2. to stretch forth; extend:

      Hold out your hand.

   3. to continue to exist; last:

      Will the food hold out?

   4. to refuse to yield or submit:

      The defenders held out for weeks.

   5. to withhold something expected or due:

      He was suspected of holding out information important to the case.

2. 1. to keep a firm grip on.
   2. to keep going; continue.
   3. to maintain, as one's opinion or position.
   4. to stop; halt (usually used imperatively):

      Hold on now! That isn't what I meant at all.

   5. hold ¹( def 24 ).
3. 1. to keep at a distance; resist; repel.
   2. to postpone action; defer:

      If you hold off applying for a passport, you may not get one in time.

4. 1. to be in agreement with; concur with:

      I don't hold with his pessimistic views.

   2. to approve of; condone:

      They won't hold with such a travesty of justice.

5. 1. to keep for future consideration or action; postpone.
   2. to remain in possession or in office beyond the regular term.
   3. to remain beyond the arranged period:

      The movie was held over for a week.

   4. Music. to prolong (a tone) from one measure to the next.
6. 1. to offer; give:

      She held up his father as an example to follow.

   2. to present to notice; expose:

      to hold someone up to ridicule.

   3. to hinder; delay:

      The plane's departure was held up because of the storm.

   4. to stop by force in order to rob.
   5. to support; uphold:

      to hold up farm prices.

   6. to stop; halt:

      They held up at the gate.

   7. to maintain one's position or condition; endure:

      They held up through all their troubles.

7. 1. to restrain; check:

      Hold down that noise!

   2. to continue to hold and manage well:

      She held down that job for years.

8. 1. to restrain; check; curb.
   2. to contain oneself; exercise restraint:

      He was raging inside, but held himself in for fear of saying something he would regret.

9. 1. to restrain or check:

      Police held back the crowd.

   2. to retain possession of; keep back:

      He held back ten dollars.

   3. to refrain from revealing; withhold:

      to hold back information.

   4. to refrain from participating or engaging in some activity:

      He held back from joining in the singing because he felt depressed.

   5. Photography. dodge ( def 2 ).
10. 1. to extend or offer; propose.
    2. to talk at great length; harangue:

       When we left, he was still holding forth on World War II.

hold

²

[ hohld ]

noun

1. Nautical.
   1. the entire cargo space in the hull of a vessel.
   2. the cargo space in the hull of a vessel between the lowermost deck and the bottom.
   3. any individual compartment of such cargo spaces, closed by bulkheads and having its own hatchway.
2. Aviation. the cargo compartment of an aircraft.

hold

¹

/ həʊld /

noun

1. the space in a ship or aircraft for storing cargo

hold

²

/ həʊld /

verb

1. to have or keep (an object) with or within the hands, arms, etc; clasp
2. tr to support or bear

   to hold a drowning man's head above water

3. to maintain or be maintained in a specified state or condition

   hold firm

   to hold one's emotions in check

4. tr to set aside or reserve

   they will hold our tickets until tomorrow

5. when intr, usually used in commands to restrain or be restrained from motion, action, departure, etc

   hold that man until the police come

6. intr to remain fast or unbroken

   that cable won't hold much longer

7. intr (of the weather) to remain dry and bright

   how long will the weather hold?

8. tr to keep the attention of

   her singing held the audience

9. tr to engage in or carry on

   to hold a meeting

10. tr to have the ownership, possession, etc, of

    who's holding the ace of spades?

    he holds a law degree from London

11. tr to have the use of or responsibility for

    to hold the office of director

12. tr to have the space or capacity for

    the carton will hold only eight books

13. tr to be able to control the outward effects of drinking beer, spirits, etc

    he can hold his drink well

14. often foll byto or by to remain or cause to remain committed to

    he held by his views in spite of opposition

    hold him to his promise

15. tr; takes a clause as object to claim

    he holds that the theory is incorrect

16. intr to remain relevant, valid, or true

    the old philosophies don't hold nowadays

17. tr to keep in the mind

    to hold affection for someone

18. tr to regard or consider in a specified manner

    I hold him very dear

19. tr to guard or defend successfully

    hold the fort against the attack

20. intr to continue to go

    hold on one's way

21. sometimes foll by on music to sustain the sound of (a note) throughout its specified duration

    to hold on a semibreve for its full value

22. tr computing to retain (data) in a storage device after copying onto another storage device or onto another location in the same device Compare clear
23. tr to be in possession of illegal drugs
24. hold for or hold good for
    to apply or be relevant to

    the same rules hold for everyone

25. holding thumbs
    holding the thumb of one hand with the other, in the hope of bringing good luck
26. hold it!
    1. stop! wait!
    2. stay in the same position! as when being photographed
27. hold one's head high
    to conduct oneself in a proud and confident manner
28. hold one's own
    to maintain one's situation or position esp in spite of opposition or difficulty
29. hold one's peace or hold one's tongue
    to keep silent
30. hold water
    to prove credible, logical, or consistent
31. there is no holding him
    he is so spirited or resolute that he cannot be restrained

noun

1. the act or method of holding fast or grasping, as with the hands
2. something to hold onto, as for support or control
3. an object or device that holds fast or grips something else so as to hold it fast
4. controlling force or influence

   she has a hold on him

5. a short delay or pause
6. a prison or a cell in a prison
7. wrestling a way of seizing one's opponent

   a wrist hold

8. music a pause or fermata
9. 1. a tenure or holding, esp of land
   2. ( in combination )

      leasehold

      copyhold

      freehold

10. a container
11. archaic.
    a fortified place
12. get hold of
    1. to obtain
    2. to come into contact with
13. no holds barred
    all limitations removed
14. on hold
    in a state of temporary postponement or delay

Derived Forms

• ˈholdable, adjective

Other Words From

• holda·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hold¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English holden, halden Old English healdan, haldan; cognate with Old Frisian, Old Norse halda, Old Saxon, Gothic haldan, Old High German haltan, German halten

Origin of hold²

First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English; variant of hole; cognate with Dutch hol “hole, hold”

Word History and Origins

Origin of hold¹

C16: variant of hole

Origin of hold²

Old English healdan; related to Old Norse halla, Gothic haldan, German halten

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. get hold of,
   1. to get a hold on:

      Get hold of the railing.

   2. to communicate with, especially by telephone:

      If she's not at home, try to get hold of her at the office.

2. no holds barred, without limits, rules, or restraints.
3. on hold,
   1. in or into a state of temporary interruption or suspension:

      The project will be put on hold until funds become available.

   2. Telecommunications. in or into a state of temporary interruption in a telephone connection: Compare call waiting ( def ).

      I'm putting you on hold to answer another call.

4. hold one's own. own ( def 11 ).
5. hold one's peace. peace ( def 14 ).
6. hold one's tongue. tongue ( def 33 ).
7. hold water. water ( def 34 ).

More idioms and phrases containing hold

• (hold) at bay
• bear (hold) a grudge
• get hold of
• hang (hold) on to your hat
• have a hold over
• lay hold of
• leave holding the bag
• no holds barred
• on hold
• (hold the) purse strings
• stand (hold) one's ground
• take hold

Synonym Study

See have. See contain. See maintain.

Example Sentences

This created a savage backlash against Hunter Biden that was carried out for years by James Comer and his House Oversight Committee, which held countless hearings into what Comer called the “Biden crime family.”

From Salon

The fundamental missions of journalism are to hold the powerful to account and to give the public the information required to be citizens of a democracy.

From Salon

Monday's Truth Social post by Trump gave few specifics, but appeared to refer to the hostages still held captive in Gaza by Hamas.

From BBC

Still, some Israeli officials appeared to be reassured by Mr. Trump’s remarks, which suggested the onus was more on the militants holding the hostages than on Israel to free the captives.

From New York Times

In other words, Ukraine needs much more help to protect its sovereignty and hold the line against Russian expansionism.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• dominance
• grip
• influence