hold

hold1 [ hould ] (past tense and past participle held [ held ] ) verb ***

▸ 1 carry

▸ 2 stop someone/something from moving

▸ 3 put arms around someone

▸ 4 (be able to) contain

▸ 5 have

▸ 6 continue in same state

▸ 7 keep/stop something

▸ 8 not lose to opponent

▸ 9 believe

▸ 10 organize event

▸ 11 wait on telephone

▸ 12 position part of body

▸ 13 have quality/feeling

▸ 14 keep having feeling

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) transitive to carry something using your hands or arms:

Can you hold my bag for a moment?

hold something in/under/between something: He held the book in his hand.

She was holding the catalog under her arm.

Barry was holding a coin between his finger and thumb.

a ) to carry something using another part of your body:

He held the thread between his teeth.

b ) to carry another person:

She was holding a baby in her arms.

2. ) transitive to support something or someone or stop them from moving:

Can you hold the wrapping paper for me so I can tape it up?

He was held by a single rope.

He was holding the steering wheel with his knees.

hold something steady: We had to hold our cups steady as the boat rocked.

hold something shut/still/apart etc.: Hold the ruler still.

3. ) transitive to put your arms around someone for a long time because you love them or because they are unhappy:

He sat beside her and held her.

hold someone tight/close: She kissed him and held him tight.

4. ) transitive to have something inside:

The cabinet holds a TV and CD player.

a ) to be able to fit an amount of something inside:

How much does this pitcher hold?

The stadium holds 80,000 people.

5. ) transitive to have something, for example a job:

She is the first woman to hold this post.

He held a position of trust and responsibility.

hold office: President Mitterrand held office for 14 years.

a ) to have an opinion about something:

She certainly holds some interesting views.

b ) FORMAL to own money or property:

Three per cent of our shares are now held by U.S. investors.

c ) FORMAL to have a document that allows you to do something:

He holds a foreign passport.

6. ) intransitive if a promise or offer holds, it still exists:

We need to find out if his offer still holds.

They were pessimistic about the ceasefire holding until the spring.

a ) intransitive or transitive to stay or keep something at a particular level:

The price has been held at its current level.

hold steady: The coffee market should hold steady for the next few months.

b ) intransitive to continue to support something without breaking or being damaged:

I don't know if the bridge will hold.

c ) intransitive if your luck or the weather holds, it continues to be good

d ) transitive to continue to play or sing a note without stopping:

Hold that last note for a count of four.

e ) intransitive or transitive to stay in the same position, for example when you are exercising:

Hold this position for a few seconds, then relax.

f ) hold good to still exist or still be valuable:

These assurances only hold good while he remains in office.

7. ) transitive to keep information, for example on a computer:

His data was held on a disk.

I wanted to see what information the police held on me.

a ) to not give something that someone wants to another person:

hold a table/reservation/room/seat: They said they'd hold the reservation for 24 hours.

b ) often passive to keep someone somewhere as a prisoner:

They were arrested and held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

hold someone at gunpoint: The family were held at gunpoint.

hold someone prisoner/hostage/captive: The four men had been held captive for over two years.

c ) to stop a train, airplane, etc. from leaving at the right time, so that someone who is late can get on it

d ) hold or hold on to to stop someone from leaving or from doing what they want:

It seemed that no man could hold her for long.

e ) hold someone's attention/interest to keep someone interested in something:

It's hard to hold their attention for more than 15 minutes.

8. ) transitive if an army holds an area, it has control of it and stops it from being CAPTURED

a ) in an election, to succeed in keeping control of a particular area:

The Senate seat was held by a Democrat.

9. ) transitive FORMAL if a court or judge holds that something is true, the court or judge says that it is true:

hold (that): The court held that the defendants were guilty of trespassing.

be held to be something: The clause was held to be unreasonable.

be held to have done something: The plaintiff was held to have acted reasonably.

a ) used for saying what people believe:

hold (that): Conventional wisdom held that he would resign.

One school of thought holds that very few people reach their full potential.

b ) be widely/commonly/generally held to be believed by a lot of people:

It was a commonly held view in those days.

hold (that): It was widely held that the management was out of touch with the workers.

c ) hold something/someone dear to feel that something or someone is very important to you:

This government was a threat to everything he held dear.

d ) hold someone in high esteem/regard to admire or respect someone very much

e ) hold someone responsible/accountable/liable to believe that someone is responsible for something

f ) tradition/legend/myth holds (that) used for saying what happened according to a traditional story:

Tradition holds that Jesus Christ was born on this site.

10. ) transitive if you hold a meeting or event, you organize it:

The government agreed to hold a referendum.

1

a ) often passive if a meeting or event is held in a particular place, or at a particular time, it takes place there at that time:

The presidential election was held on April 26.

11. ) intransitive or transitive to wait to speak to someone on the telephone. You can also say that you hold the line:

Do you want to call back later? No, I'll hold.

Can you hold the line, please?

12. ) transitive to put a part of your body into a particular position:

She was holding her hand to her heart.

Ruth held her head in her hands.

13. ) transitive FORMAL to have a particular quality:

The project holds a great deal of promise.

He holds no authority over us.

1

a ) used for talking about the feelings that something makes you have. For example, if something holds no fear for you, you are not afraid of it:

Food still held no appeal.

Water seems to hold a fascination for him.

1

b ) LITERARY if your face or voice holds a particular emotion, it shows it:

His eyes held a look of desperation.

14. ) transitive to continue to have a particular feeling, especially a bad one:

I no longer hold any resentment toward him.

hold a grudge: He's not someone who holds a grudge.

1

a ) to keep an idea or picture in your mind:

I tried to hold his image in my mind as I walked away.

hold a course

to keep sailing or traveling in the same direction

hold your drink

to be able to drink a lot of alcohol without getting drunk

hold someone's gaze

to look at someone who is looking at you, without moving your eyes away

hold hands or hold someone's hand

to put your hand around someone else's hand:

They all held hands and prayed.

She was holding hands with Mike.

Hold my hand while we cross the road.

hold your head up/high

to not be ashamed of yourself

hold it SPOKEN

1. ) used for telling someone not to move:

Just hold it right there! Where do you think you're going with that?

2. ) used for telling someone to wait:

Hold it, you two, wait for us!

3. ) used for showing that something has made you angry or surprised:

Hold it a minute! Are you saying he's not coming?

hold the ketchup/mustard/mayo etc. AMERICAN SPOKEN

used for telling someone not to give you a particular thing, especially a type of food:

Give me a hot dog, and hold the mustard.

hold the key

to make it possible to explain or solve something:

Tourism holds the key to the region's recovery.

hold your own

to be as good as other more experienced or stronger people, for example in an argument or discussion

hold the road

if a vehicle holds the road well, it is easy to control, even when you drive fast around curves

hold still SPOKEN

used for telling someone not to move:

Hold still while I brush your hair.

hold that thought SPOKEN

used for telling someone not to forget something

hold tight SPOKEN

1. ) used for telling someone to hold something, so that they do not drop it or so that they do not fall:

Hold tight when we go around the corner!

2. ) used for telling someone to wait and not do anything or not worry:

Hold tight there and I'll go and get him.

hold true

to be true or remain true

hold yourself

the way that you hold yourself is the way that you sit, stand, or move:

He held himself with an easy confidence.

what the future holds

what is likely to happen in the future

=> FAST 2

,hold a`gainst phrasal verb transitive usually in negatives

hold something against someone to feel angry with someone, because of something that they have done in the past:

He knows it was an accident, I don't think he'll hold it against her.

,hold `back phrasal verb

1. ) transitive to stop someone or something from moving forward:

Ollie had to hold Tom back to prevent him from retaliating.

Her hair was held back by two clips.

2. ) transitive to stop something or someone from succeeding as they should:

Her parents worried that her classmates were holding her back.

3. ) intransitive or transitive to decide not to do or say something, or to make someone decide not to do or say something:

He held back, remembering the mistake he had made before.

4. ) transitive to not show what you are thinking or feeling:

Joe held back his anger.

She bit her lip to hold back the tears.

5. ) transitive to not allow someone to have something, for example money:

They held back the final payment because they weren't satisfied with the work.

,hold `down phrasal verb transitive

1. ) to hold someone who is lying down, so that they cannot move:

Four people held him down.

2. ) to hold something so it does not move upward

3. ) to stop prices or numbers from rising:

a deal to hold down wages and prices

4. ) to succeed in keeping a job:

Half of them have never held down a regular job.

5. ) to prevent something from developing or to prevent someone from doing what they want:

She proved that just being a woman wouldn't hold her down.

,hold `forth phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive to talk for a long time about something that is important to you, often in a way that other people think is boring:

Dave was holding forth on the subject of politics again.

2. ) transitive LITERARY to hold something so that other people can reach it or see it

,hold `in phrasal verb transitive

1. ) to not allow your feelings to show:

It can be bad for you to hold in anger.

2. ) to stop something from moving outward:

I was trying desperately to hold my stomach in.

,hold `off phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive to delay doing something deliberately:

He may decide to hold off for a few days.

hold off on: How much longer can they hold off on political reform?

hold off doing something: She held off calling him until the last possible moment.

2. ) transitive to stop someone who is trying to attack you from coming close:

I held them off with bricks and stones.

3. ) transitive MAINLY JOURNALISM to stop an opponent from starting to win or lead:

Can Woods hold off Singh to take his second Masters?

4. ) transitive to stop something from happening:

They can hold off the accusations until the election.

5. ) intransitive if rain or snow holds off, it does not fall, although you expected it to

,hold `on phrasal verb intransitive

1. ) to hold something tightly or carefully so that you do not drop it or do not fall:

hold on tight: Hold on tight everyone, the boat's getting ready to go.

2. ) to wait:

We'll hold on another minute, then we'll have to go.

Can you hurry up in the bathroom, I can't hold on much longer.

3. ) to keep trying to win or succeed:

Davenport held on for the win.

4. ) always in imperative used for telling someone to wait:

Hold on! You forgot your card!

a ) always in imperative used for telling someone to listen or think:

Hold on, that won't work.

Now hold on a minute! I never said that.

,hold `on to or ,hold `onto phrasal verb transitive

1. ) hold on to something to hold something tightly or carefully so that you do not drop it or do not fall:

Hold on to the seat in front when we go around the corner.

Hold onto your purse, won't you?

2. ) hold on to something to not lose something or not let someone else have it: KEEP:

Hold on to the instructions in case you have any problems.

3. ) hold on to something to continue feeling or believing something:

I always held on to the belief that one day he would succeed.

4. ) hold on to someone to stop someone from leaving you or from doing what they want:

A mother can't hold on to her children for ever.

,hold `out phrasal verb

1. ) transitive to hold something where other people can reach it:

Gail held out her glass to be refilled.

hold out your hand: She held out her hand to him.

2. ) intransitive to continue to be enough or continue to exist:

How long will your money hold out?

I wonder whether her stamina will hold out.

3. ) intransitive to continue to defend a place that is being attacked:

We can only hold out for a few more hours.

hold out hope often in negatives

to think that something is likely to happen or succeed:

I don't hold out much hope that they'll come.

hold out a possibility/prospect/promise etc.

to say or show that something may or will happen:

She held out the possibility of the prisoners being released.

,hold `out for phrasal verb transitive

hold out for something to not accept an offer because you want a better one:

They've been holding out for an even higher price.

,hold `out on phrasal verb transitive

hold out on someone/something to not tell someone something:

They've been holding out on the details of the plan.

,hold `over phrasal verb transitive

1. ) hold something over someone to threaten to tell something you know about someone in order to force them to do something

2. ) hold something over someone to hold something above someone or something:

She ran out with an umbrella and held it over my head.

3. ) AMERICAN to let something continue

4. ) to do something or deal with something at a later time or date:

One session was held over until this evening.

They intend to hold the article over for the next edition.

`hold to phrasal verb transitive

1. ) hold someone to something to make someone do what they have promised or decided:

They didn't hold me to three month's notice.

a ) I'll hold you to that SPOKEN a friendly way of accepting an invitation or offer for a later date

2. ) hold someone to something to make someone continue to behave according to particular beliefs or standards:

Anyone appointed to this position should be held to the highest ethical standards.

3. ) hold to something to continue having particular beliefs or standards:

She still holds to the view that violence is never justified.

4. ) hold to something to do what you have promised or decided:

The western democracies held to their policy of nonintervention.

,hold to`gether phrasal verb intransitive or transitive

1. ) to remain in one piece and not break apart, or to make something do this:

The pants were held together with a safety pin.

2. ) to stay together and continue to have a good relationship in a difficult situation:

How can any family hold together under these circumstances?

I was trying to hold my marriage together.

,hold `up phrasal verb

1. ) transitive to hold something in a high position, so that people can see it:

She held up her hand for silence.

2. ) transitive to support someone or something so that they do not fall down:

Her legs were almost too shaky to hold her up.

3. ) transitive often passive to cause a delay or make someone late:

Sorry I'm late, but my flight was held up.

She got held up at work.

4. ) transitive to steal from a business, from a vehicle, or from people by threatening violence:

An armed robber held up the bank last week.

5. ) intransitive to remain strong or in a fairly good condition:

There were fears that her ankle might not hold up for the competition.

Prices had held up well until late 1997.

,hold `up as phrasal verb transitive often passive

hold someone up as something to say that someone or something is an example of something, usually something good:

He was held up as a hero.

We were held up as the best example of an efficient organization.

`hold with phrasal verb

not hold with something MAINLY SPOKEN

to not approve of an activity or action

hold

hold 2 [ hould ] noun **

▸ 1 act of holding something

▸ 2 way of holding someone

▸ 3 power over someone/something

▸ 4 area in airplane/ship

▸ 5 place for hand/foot

▸ 6 state that continues

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) singular the fact that you are holding something: GRIP:

His hold on her arm tightened.

The boat turned over and she lost her hold.

a ) grab/catch hold to suddenly start holding something:

Bobby grabbed hold of her leg.

b ) take hold of something to start holding something:

She took hold of his hand.

2. ) count a way of holding someone, for example in a sport:

a wrestling hold

3. ) singular the power or control that someone has over a situation or area:

hold on/over: Their forces had consolidated their hold on the area.

a ) power that you have over someone, especially because of something that you know about them:

How is it he's got such a strong hold over you?

4. ) count the area in an airplane or ship that is used for goods, vehicles, or suitcases

5. ) count a place where you put your foot or hand so that you do not fall, for example when you are climbing

6. ) singular hold on the fact that someone manages to continue doing or having something:

The nurses were amazed at her tenacious hold on life.

new threats to his hold on power

get hold of someone

to manage to talk to someone, on the telephone or directly:

Can you get hold of Mike and tell him the meeting's postponed?

get hold of something

1. ) to get something that you need or want:

I've managed to get hold of some very good wine.

2. ) to start holding something with your hands:

Here, get hold of this for a minute.

get hold of the idea (that)

to start to think that something is true, usually when it is not:

Where did you get hold of the idea I was leaving?

keep hold of something

1. ) to not take your hands away from something that you are holding:

She kept hold of his arm.

2. ) to not lose something or not let someone else get it:

They managed to keep hold of the lead in the second half.

no holds barred

without any limit on what you are allowed to do:

They can say anything they like, no holds barred.

the demand for a no-holds-barred investigation

on hold

1. ) if something is on hold, you have stopped it from happening now, but it may happen later:

put something on hold: After the accident her career had to be put on hold.

2. ) waiting to speak to someone on the telephone, after your call has been answered:

They've put me on hold.

put a hold on something

to stop something from happening now, although it may happen later:

We need to put a hold on this legislation.

take hold

to become stronger and difficult to stop:

They were fortunate to escape before the fire took hold.

A sense of dread took hold of him.