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hold1 definition

hold (hōld)

transitive verb held, holding 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
    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
  4. a means of confinement; prison
  5. a temporary halt or delay, as to make repairs, or an order to make such a halt
  6. an order reserving something
  7. Obsolete a stronghold
  8. Obsolete the act or fact of guarding, possessing, etc.
  9. Music pause (sense )
hold Idioms

catch hold of

to take; seize; grasp

get hold of

  1. to take; seize; grasp
  2. to acquire

hold back

  1. to restrain
  2. to refrain
  3. to retain

hold down

  1. to keep down or under control; restrain
  2. Informal to have and keep (a job)
  3. to limit; restrict the rain held down attendance at the game

hold forth

Etymology: cf. Phil. 2:16

  1. to speak at some length; preach; lecture
  2. Now Rare to offer; propose

hold in

  1. to keep in or back
  2. to control oneself or one's impulses

hold off

  1. to keep away or at a distance
  2. to keep from attacking or doing something
  3. to delay action on a matter, as in awaiting additional information

hold on

  1. to retain one's hold
  2. to continue; persist
  3. Informal stop!wait!

hold one's own

to maintain one's place or condition in spite of obstacles or reverses

hold out

  1. to last; endure; continue
  2. to continue resistance; stand firm; not yield
  3. to offer
  4. Informal to fail or refuse to give (what is to be given)

hold out for

Informal to stand firm in demanding

hold over

  1. to postpone consideration of or action on
  2. to keep or stay for an additional period or term
  3. ☆ to keep as a threat or advantage over

hold up

  1. to keep from falling; prop up
  2. to show; exhibit
  3. to last; endure; continue
  4. to stop; delay; impede
  5. ☆ to stop forcibly and rob
  6. Informal to overcharge

hold with

  1. to agree or side with
  2. to approve of

lay hold of

or take hold of
  1. to take; seize; grasp
  2. to get control or possession of

no holds barred

Informal with no set rules or limits

on hold

  1. in a period or state of interruption or delay the countdown was on hold
  2. in a state of interruption in a telephone call, as during a transfer to another line I was on hold for five minutes
hold2 definition

hold (hōld)

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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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