withhold

Withhold is defined as to hold back or refuse.

(verb)

An example of withhold is an employer giving a portion of someone's paycheck to the IRS for taxes.

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See withhold in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb withheld, withholding

    1. to hold back; keep back; restrain
    2. ☆ to take out or deduct (taxes, etc.) from wages or salary
  1. to refrain from granting, permitting, etc.; refuse

Origin: ME withholden: see with- & hold,

intransitive verb

to refrain; forbear

See withhold in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb with·held (-hĕldˈ), with·hold·ing, with·holds
verb, transitive
  1. To keep in check; restrain.
  2. To refrain from giving, granting, or permitting. See Synonyms at keep.
  3. To deduct (withholding tax) from an employee's salary.
verb, intransitive
To refrain or forbear.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English witholden

Origin: : with, away from; see with

Origin: + holden, to hold; see hold1

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Related Forms:

  • with·holdˈer noun

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