Nearby Words
verb (used with object)
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.
EXPANDto 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.
COLLAPSEto omit from the usual order or combination: Give me a burger well-done—hold the pickle.
verb (used without object)
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.
EXPANDto agree or side (usually followed by with): to hold with new methods.
24.
to hold property by some tenure; derive title (usually followed by by, from, in, or of).
25.
to remain attached, faithful, or steadfast (usually followed by to): to hold to one's purpose.
26.
to remain valid; be in force: The rule does not hold.
27.
COLLAPSEto refrain or forbear (usually used imperatively).
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Hold up
is always a great word to know.
So is interrobang. Does it mean:
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
noun
Verb phrases28.
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, especially 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.
EXPANDFinance. a security purchased or recommended for long-term growth.
33.
a controlling force or dominating influence: to have a hold on a person.
34.
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.
COLLAPSE(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,
a.
to restrain or check: Police held back the crowd.
b.
to retain possession of; keep back: He held back ten dollars.
c.
to refrain from revealing; withhold: to hold back information.
d.
to refrain from participating or engaging in some activity: He held back from joining in the singing because he felt depressed.
e.
Photography. dodge (def. 2).
43.
hold down,
a.
to restrain; check: Hold down that noise!
b.
to continue to hold and manage well: She held down that job for years.
44.
hold forth,
a.
to extend or offer; propose.
b.
to talk at great length; harangue: When we left, he was still holding forth on World War II.
45.
hold in,
a.
to restrain; check; curb.
b.
to contain oneself; exercise restraint: He was raging inside, but held himself in for fear of saying something he would regret.
46.
EXPANDhold off,
a.
to keep at a distance; resist; repel.
b.
to postpone action; defer: If you hold off applying for a passport, you may not get one in time.
47.
hold on,
a.
to keep a firm grip on.
b.
to keep going; continue.
c.
to maintain, as one's opinion or position.
d.
to stop; halt (usually used imperatively): Hold on now! That isn't what I meant at all.
e.
to keep a telephone connection open by not hanging up the receiver: The operator asked us to hold on while the number we'd dialed was being checked.
48.
hold out,
a.
to present; offer.
b.
to stretch forth; extend: Hold out your hand.
c.
to continue to exist; last: Will the food hold out?
d.
to refuse to yield or submit: The defenders held out for weeks.
e.
to withhold something expected or due: He was suspected of holding out information important to the case.
49.
hold over,
a.
to keep for future consideration or action; postpone.
b.
to remain in possession or in office beyond the regular term.
c.
to remain beyond the arranged period: The movie was held over for a week.
d.
Music. to prolong (a tone) from one measure to the next.
50.
hold up,
a.
to offer; give: She held up his father as an example to follow.
b.
to present to notice; expose: to hold someone up to ridicule.
c.
to hinder; delay: The plane's departure was held up because of the storm.
d.
to stop by force in order to rob.
e.
to support; uphold: to hold up farm prices.
f.
to stop; halt: They held up at the gate.
g.
to maintain one's position or condition; endure: They held up through all their troubles.
51.
COLLAPSEhold with,
a.
to be in agreement with; concur with: I don't hold with his pessimistic views.
b.
to approve of; condone: They won't hold with such a travesty of justice.
52.
get hold of,
a.
to get a hold on: Get hold of the railing.
b.
to communicate with, especially by telephone: If she's not at home, try to get hold of her at the office.
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.
EXPANDhold water. water (def. 36).
57.
no holds barred, without limits, rules, or restraints.
58.
COLLAPSEon hold,
a.
in or into a state of temporary interruption or suspension: The project will be put on hold until funds become available.
b.
Telecommunications. in or into a state of temporary interruption in a telephone connection: I'm putting you on hold to answer another call. Compare call waiting.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English holden, Old English h(e)aldan; cognate with Old Frisian, Old Norse halda, Old Saxon, Gothic haldan, Old High German haltan (German halten)
before 900; Middle English holden, Old English h(e)aldan; cognate with Old Frisian, Old Norse halda, Old Saxon, Gothic haldan, Old High German haltan (German halten)
Related forms
hold·a·ble, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To hold up
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
hold
"space in a ship below the lower deck, in which cargo is stowed," 15c. corruption (infl. by hold (v.)) of O.E. hol "hole," infl. by M.Du. hol "hold of a ship," and M.E. hul, which originally meant both "the hold" and "the hull" of a ship (see hull).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
hold definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
hold up
-
Offer or present as an example, as in The teacher held Bernie's essay up as a model for the class to follow. [c. 1600]
-
Obstruct or delay, as in We were held up in traffic. [c. 1900]
-
Rob, as in He was held up in a dark alley, with no help nearby. This usage, which gave rise to the noun holdup for a robbery, alludes to the robbers' demand that the victims hold their hands high. [Late 1800s]
-
Also, hold out. Continue to function without losing force or effectiveness, endure. For example, We held up through that long bitter winter, or The nurse was able to hold out until someone could relieve her. [Late 1500s]
-
See hold one's head high.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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