verb, held; held or (Archaic
) hold⋅en; hold⋅ing; noun | 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. |
| 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. |
| 12. | to regard or consider: to hold a person responsible. |
| 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. |
| 19. | to remain or continue in a specified state, relation, etc.: Hold still while I take your picture. |
| 20. | to remain fast; adhere; cling: Will this button hold? |
| 21. | to keep or maintain a grasp on something. |
| 22. | to maintain one's position against opposition; continue in resistance. |
| 23. | to agree or side (usually fol. by with): to hold with new methods. |
| 24. | to hold property by some tenure; derive title (usually fol. by by, from, in, or of). |
| 25. | to remain attached, faithful, or steadfast (usually fol. by to): to hold to one's purpose. |
| 26. | to remain valid; be in force: The rule does not hold. |
| 27. | to refrain or forbear (usually used imperatively). |
| 28. | 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? |
| 29. | something to hold a thing by, as a handle; something to grasp, esp. for support. |
| 30. | something that holds fast or supports something else. |
| 31. | an order reserving something: to put a hold on a library book. |
| 32. | Finance. a security purchased or recommended for long-term growth. |
| 33. | a controlling force or dominating influence: to have a hold on a person. |
| 34. | Wrestling. a method of seizing an opponent and keeping him in control: a toe hold. |
| 35. | Music. fermata. |
| 36. | a pause or delay, as in a continuing series: a hold in the movements of a dance. |
| 37. | a prison or prison cell. |
| 38. | a receptacle for something: a basket used as a hold for letters. |
| 39. | 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. |
| 40. | a fortified place; stronghold. |
| 41. | (on telephones with two or more lines) a feature that enables a person to maintain a connection on one line while answering another line. |
| 42. | hold back,
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| 43. | hold down,
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| 44. | hold forth,
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| 45. | hold in,
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| 46. | hold off,
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| 47. | hold on,
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| 48. | hold out,
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| 49. | hold over,
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| 50. | hold up,
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| 51. | hold with,
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| 52. | get hold of,
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| 53. | hold one's own. own (def. 9). |
| 54. | hold one's peace. peace (def. 14). |
| 55. | hold one's tongue. tongue (def. 33). |
| 56. | hold water. water (def. 36). |
| 57. | no holds barred, without limits, rules, or restraints. |
| 58. | on hold,
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hold
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