hold

transitive verb held, hold′·ing

1. to take and keep with the hands or arms, or by other means; grasp; clutch; seize
2. ☆ to keep from going away; not let escape to hold a prisoner, hold the train
3. to keep in a certain place or position, or in a specified condition to hold one's head up
4. to restrain or control; specif.,
   1. to keep from falling; bear the weight of; support pillars holding the roof
   2. to keep from acting; keep back hold your tongue
   3. to keep from advancing or attacking
   4. to keep from getting an advantage
   5. to get and keep control of; keep from relaxing to hold someone's attention
   6. to continue; maintain to hold a course
   7. to sustain or satisfy for the time being a muffin should hold you until supper time
   8. ☆ to keep (a letter, etc.) for delivery later
   9. to keep (a room, etc.) for use later
   10. to keep under obligation; bind hold him to his word
   11. to resist the effects of (alcoholic liquor)
5. to have and keep as one's own; have the duties, privileges, etc. of; own; possess; occupy to hold shares of stock, to hold the office of mayor
6. to keep against an enemy; guard; defend hold the fort
7. to have or conduct together; specif.,
   1. to carry on (a meeting, conversation, etc.)
   2. to perform (a function, service, etc.) to hold classes in the morning
8. to call together or preside over to hold court
9. to have or keep within itself; have room or space for; contain a bottle that holds a quart
10. to have or keep in the mind
11. to have an opinion or belief about; regard; consider to hold a statement to be untrue
12. Law
    1. to decide; adjudge; decree
    2. to bind by contract
    3. to possess by legal title to hold a mortgage
13. Music to prolong (a tone or rest)

Etymology: ME holden < Anglian OE haldan (WS healdan), akin to Ger halten, Goth haldan, to tend sheep < IE base *kel-, to drive, incite to action > Gr kelēs, swift horse, L celer, swift: prob. sense development: drive (cattle, etc.)—tend—possess

intransitive verb

1. to retain a hold, a firm contact, etc. hold tight
2. to go on being firm, loyal, etc. to hold to a resolution
3. to remain unbroken or unyielding; not give way the rope held
4. to have right or title: usually with from or of
5. to be in effect or in force; be true or valid a rule that holds in any case
6. to keep up; continue [the wind held from the north]; specif.,
   1. to remain in the air, waiting to land a plane held over Boston
   2. to remain on a telephone line that line is busy — will you hold?
7. Archaic to go no further; stop oneself; halt: usually in the imperative

noun

1. the act or manner of grasping or seizing; grip; specif., a way of gripping an opponent in wrestling
2. a thing to hold or hold on by
3. a thing for holding or containing something else
4. 1. a controlling or dominating force; restraining authority to have a firm hold over someone
   2. a being aware or in control to lose one's hold on life
5. a means of confinement; prison
6. a temporary halt or delay, as to make repairs, or an order to make such a halt
7. an order reserving something
8. Obsolete a stronghold
9. Obsolete the act or fact of guarding, possessing, etc.
10. Music pause (sense )

noun

1. the interior of a ship below decks, esp. below the lower deck, in which the cargo is carried
2. the compartment for cargo in an aircraft

Etymology: altered (after hold) < hole or < MDu hol, a hole, cave, ship's hold