I. ˈhōld dial sometimes -lt verb
( held ˈheld ; or dialect past hilt ˈhilt ; held or archaic hold·en ˈhōldən ; holding ; holds ˈhōl(d)z)
Etymology: Middle English holden, from Old English healdan, haldan; akin to Old High German haltan to hold, Old Norse halda, Gothic haldan to tend cattle, Latin celer rapid, Greek kellein to run a ship to land, Sanskrit kālayati he drives, holds, carries
transitive verb
1.
a. : to retain in one's keeping : maintain possession of : not give up or relinquish : possess , have
held property worth millions
hold several slaves as household servants
holds the title to the property
holds the power to hire or fire at will
b. : to retain or occupy by force : defend and not retreat from
the soldiers held the bridge against all attacks
c. : to keep control of or authority or jurisdiction over
wished to hold the territory because of the fur trade
d. : to have power over : affect strongly and unremittingly
a pleasurable excitement held him — D.G.Gerahty
invalidism held him for eight years — J.C.Archer
e. : to have possession of the privileges, benefits, or perquisites of
holds the eastern seaboard under an authorization granted by the manufacturer of the goods
f. : to use or keep as a threat or as a means of gaining advantage
2. : to impose restraint upon or limit in motion or action
the bushing held the drive shaft so that it had no play whatsoever
as
a. : to refrain from producing (as speech or noise)
hold your talk, man
b.
(1) : to keep back : not loose : not let go
hold the dogs so the strangers can pass
(2) : stay , arrest
hold him with a glance
a strange compunction held his hand as he raised it to strike
tried to hold him from an action he would always regret
(3) : delay
held the curtain for an hour until the arrival of the royal carriage at the theater
(4) : to stop the action of usually temporarily
time must be allowed … for holding the press while waiting for the sheet to dry — F.W.Hoch
c.
(1) : to keep from advancing or succeeding in attack
were able to hold the enemy
(2) : to keep (as an opposing team) from gaining an advantage
the weaker team held the stronger during the first half
d. : to restrict or limit (as in amount of variation, advance, gain, loss) by acting to control or oppose
held the sound to one level of loudness
held the army to only a few miles' gain
held the opposing team to only two runs
e. : to bind legally or morally : constrain
hold a man to his word
— often used with an adjective complement
hold a man responsible for his actions
hold the men accountable for all money spent
f. Scotland : to oppress by affliction : keep down : hold down
g. : detain
held him in conversation for ten minutes before letting him go
h. : restrict , limit
bouts have been held to three 1 1/2-minute rounds — Barrett McGurn
i. : to tense muscles in order to brace (oneself)
had to hold himself against the swaying and bumping of the coach
j. : to keep (a herd of cattle) together in a unit
out holding the herd while the rest were eating
3. obsolete : to abide by (as a promise) or keep inviolate (as a faith)
4.
a. : to have or keep in the grasp
hold a child's hand
hold a pocketbook tightly
this volume is a joy to hold as well as to read — J.M.Chase
b.
(1) : to keep as if in a grasp : cause to be or remain in a particular situation, position, or relation, within certain limits, or of a particular quality
hold a person in suspense
hold an emotion under rigid control
hold a ladder steady
hold a child in check
hold himself in readiness
the stern demands of necessity held men in their grip — V.L.Parrington
the searchlight … caught and held them in its glare — Nevil Shute
(2) : to place and usually not allow to move
hold a pad of gauze to a wound
hold your hand against my cheek
: fix
held his eyes steadily on the picture
c.
(1) : support , sustain
the building was held by concrete underpinning
roof will hold a deadweight of 94 inches of snow — Monsanto Magazine
holds his seventy-two years easily
(2) : to keep (as a bank of dirt) from eroding, collapsing, or washing away
pines and other hardy trees were planted to hold the sand — George Farwell
d.
(1) : retain
struggling to hold , or to capture, the allegiance of the British people — F.A.Ogg & Harold Zink
the parents still hold the children's affection
the suit holds its press well
a plastic that will hold any shape you press it into
: to retain by not vomiting
unable to take a bite of food or hold it on his stomach when it was forced upon him — F.B.Gipson
: retain by not discharging
the metal held the electrical charge for a long time
(2) : to keep in custody : keep as a prisoner
the cops agreed that the death was accidental, and did not hold him — Time
e.
(1) : to have in one's keeping : store
another consideration was the cost of storing type — we certainly could not afford to hold it forever — B.L.Stratton
: keep on file or record
the title is held at the registry of deeds
(2) : reserve
called the hotel and asked them to hold a room for him
held a few seats in case some visiting celebrities turned up
f. : bear , carry , comport
something unbending and strong, peasantlike, in the way he holds himself — Madaleine Chapsal
g.
(1) : to maintain in being or action : keep up without interruption, diminution, or flagging : sustain , preserve
hold one's course due north
hold silence
(2) : to maintain in a given condition (as of temperature, pressure, or humidity) or stage of processing
(3) : to maintain a given condition in
(4) : to maintain the articulation of (a speech sound) or the production of (as a note in music)
the vowel in feet is not held as long as the vowel in feed
h. : to keep the uninterrupted interest, attention, or devotion of : keep from other interests, attractions, or places
the play held the audience for over three hours
a community that … holds young people and offers inducements to them to stay and help build a greater hometown — J.C.Penney
newspaper editing did not hold him long — A.H.Meneely
wants to hold her husband while resisting his domination — H.M.Parshley
i. : to keep (as a letter or package) from being delivered usually temporarily
asked the post office to hold his mail until he returned
j. : to cover (the ears) so as to prevent hearing
when I spoke she held her ears — Eudora Welty
k. : to constitute or provide adequate satisfaction for
enough food to hold him for a week
had had enough of high causes and noble sacrifice to hold them for a long time — F.L.Allen
l.
(1) : not to veer or alter from
the car held 70 miles an hour for 20 miles
prices had held the same level for a month
had trouble holding his course
(2) : to be free of marked bouncing, swerving, or skidding on
a car that holds the road well at any speed
m. : to make an exhibition of or call persistently to one's consciousness
trying to entertain his audience by holding his betters to ridicule
n. : to fix on and not turn away from
for a few minutes the flashlight held the canoe, then lost it — Erle Stanley Gardner
5.
a.
(1) : to receive and retain
the can holds gasoline
: have within : contain
the cemetery which held the bodies of his family for seven generations back
the room held only Victorian furniture
the envelope which held his ticket — J.P.Marquand
(2) : to have or retain within its limits as if in a container
throw into a word every trace of meaning it can hold — C.S.Kilby
the cast held some noted singers
could hold large quantities of verse in his mind without effort
(3) : to keep within moderate bounds the characteristic intoxicating effects of (an alcoholic liquor)
drank heavily but held it well
b.
(1) : to be able or designed to receive and retain or contain
a special container to hold flammable liquids
the basket that held outgoing mail was empty
(2) : accommodate
the hotel could hold over 300 guests
sleeping platforms ran the length of the side walls in two tiers, holding eight men — Meridel Le Sueur
c. : to be marked or characterized by as an essential feature
the volume held an historical rather than a literary interest
its steeply pitched gable roof holds one dormer — American Guide Series: Maryland
a scene that held many fond memories for him
the famous hymn of creation … holds an awesome vastness of mood — Emma Hawkridge
d. : to provide or have in reserve as a reward
the story holds a happy ending for everybody
the tournament holds a nice prize for the winner
would like to know what the future holds
6.
a. : harbor , experience
hold a feeling
a nation for whom we all hold a good deal of admiration
holds no sympathy for criminals
b. : accept
hold a point of view
: believe
hold a theory
hold opposing opinions
: subscribe to
the aesthetic philosophy we happen to hold — C.I.Glicksberg
c.
(1) : consider , regard , think , judge
held that the action was dishonest
held calculus to be too difficult for that age group
held by many to be the greatest contemporary tennis player
the expression of those truths held to be self-evident — F.B.Millett
(2) : to decide in a judicial ruling
the court held that the man was sane
(3) : esteem , value
the story is that he held it so lightly that he lost the land on one turn of the cards — American Guide Series: North Carolina
d. : to have or maintain in judgment or regard
hold someone in contempt
hold a parent in honor
7.
a. : to engage in with someone else or with others : do by concerted action
the student body held games in the afternoon
b. : convoke , convene
the king held an assembly of all his courtiers
the second court session was held in the afternoon
: arrange for and have in a united action
the company held a feast to celebrate victory
: schedule and assemble or meet
some classes were held in the evening
8.
a. : to be or stand in (as a relative position)
holds second place in the city golf tournament
urban redevelopment continues to hold an important place in planning programs — Collier's Year Book
b. : to have earned or been appointed, promoted, or elected to and now occupy (as an office)
holds a captaincy in the navy
holds a secretaryship in the club
held the presidency for two terms
c. : to have earned or been awarded (as an academic degree)
holds an M.D. from one of the best medical schools
holds a German Ph.D.
holds a medal of honor
9. now dialect Britain : bet , wager
10.
a. obsolete : to handle so as to guide or manage (as reins or a gun)
b. : point , aim , direct — used with on
held a gun on the grocer while an accomplice robbed the till
11. obsolete : to endure or bear up under (as rough handling or invidious comparison)
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to maintain position : not retreat : remain unconquered or unsubdued
the troops held in the face of repeated attacks
b.
(1) : to continue or remain especially as is or of the same kind or quality : last
winter held until the middle of March
his anger held for several days
the output of copper held at the level of the year before
hoping that the good weather would hold
: not change or alter
we can go if the present circumstances hold
our luck held and we won
the habit of a lifetime held — John Buchan
— often used with up
the good weather held up for several days
(2) : to endure a test or trial
their courage held against all odds
— often used with up
if his interest holds up
2.
a. : to maintain a grasp on or a connection with something : remain fastened to something (as by a strap) : keep hold
the anchor held in the rough sea
: not slip : not lose a grip : cling
felt his rubber soles grip and hold
b. of a female mammal : to hold to service : conceive
3. : to derive right or title (as to the possession of lands or as land to be held) — usually used with of or from
held of the crown by an outright gift
4. : to bear or carry oneself
a man who held aloof from strangers
asked the boy to hold still
5. : to be or remain valid : apply
the rule holds only in special cases
: prove consistent or acceptable to reason or logic
the theory does not hold under analysis
6. : to go ahead : continue as one has been going
the travelers held on their way
held south for several miles
: not veer or fluctuate in progress or forward movement
the plane held steadily on its course by automatic control
7. : to restrain or withhold oneself : cease or forbear an intended or threatened action : halt , stop , pause
wished that he might hold a while and stop his incessant chatter
8. : to take place
went … to the place where the funeral service was holding — John Bennett
annual show and sale of highland ponies holds on Monday — Scotsman
9. : to pause in archery between drawing and loosing an arrow
10. : to hold copy (as in proofreading)
Synonyms: see contain , have , keep
•
- hold a brief
- hold a brief for
- hold a candle to
- hold a close wind
- hold book
- hold bottom
- hold by
- hold copy
- hold court
- hold down a claim
- hold everything
- hold fire
- hold good
- hold hands
- hold in demesne
- hold one's breath
- hold one's ground
- hold one's horses
- hold one's own
- hold one's peace
- hold one's tongue
- hold tack with
- hold the bag
- hold the boards
- hold the field
- hold the fort
- hold the line
- hold the market
- hold the stage
- hold the wind
- hold to
- hold to account
- hold to service
- hold true
- hold up one's head
- hold water
- hold with
II. ˈhōld, dial often -lt noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English hold, holde hold, possession, land that is held, property, from Old English heald, hald protection, keeping, from healdan, haldan to hold
1.
a. : a place of temporary shelter or refuge ; also : a lair or a lurking place (as of a fish)
b. : stronghold
2.
a. : confinement , custody
b. : a place of confining : prison
3.
a.
(1) : the act or the manner of holding or grasping (as in the hands or arms)
released his hold on the man's arm
has a strong hold for a small man
: grasp
took a firm hold on the club
: clasp , grip
in his arms his hold was tight and reassuring
— often used idiomatically without an article as object of catch, get, have, seize, take
got hold of the oar and was pulled out of the water
seized hold as the rope brushed his fingers
held out a hand and waited until the child took hold
took hold of the knob and opened the door
the boy's sneakers suddenly took hold and stopped him from sliding off the roof
saw that the climber had hold of the rope before he began to haul on it
(2) : a manner of grasping an opponent in wrestling
knee holds and body presses
b.
(1) : a nonphysical bond, grip, or clasp which attaches, restrains, or constrains or by or through which something is affected, controlled, dominated, or possessed — often used with on, upon, or over
afraid they might lose their hold on the domestic market — Sydney (Australia) Bulletin
yet the hold of the public school upon the middle-class mind has not weakened — Roy Lewis & Angus Maude
the father had a strong hold over his children
and often used idiomatically without an article as object of catch, get, have, seize, take
the newspapers got hold of the story
after a moment of panic he got hold of himself
seized hold and stepped up production 50 percent
in the confusion of contradictory ideas we did not know what philosophy he had hold of
(2) : an action, expedient, or device for achieving an end
arguing that in … politics no holds are barred — New Republic
c. : conscious grasp : full comprehension — used with on or upon
at the point of sleep one loses his hold on the real world
how weak was his hold upon character — Roger Fry
4. : something that may be grasped as a support
climbed up the rock using some ledges and jutting pieces as holds
5. : a pause between the completion of the draw and the release of the arrow in archery
6.
a. : fermata
b. : a rhythmic lengthening of a word or syllable or a symbol used to indicate this
c. : the time between the onset and the release of a vocal articulation
7. : a sudden motionless posture at the end of a dance or dance phrase
8.
a. : an order or indication that something is to be reserved
put a hold on all the hotel rooms still unoccupied
b. : an order or indication that some action is to be delayed
announced a hold on all takeoffs until the weather cleared
c. : a notation on a depositor's account to indicate that the balance or a portion thereof should not be paid out
d. : a recommendation indicating that a stock has long-term and fundamental values but is not considered a desirable present purchase for near-term appreciation
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: from (assumed) Middle English hold, alteration (probably influenced by Middle English hold ) (II) of Middle English hole (I)
1.
a. : the interior of a ship below decks ; especially : the cargo deck of a ship
b. : the interior of a plane ; especially : the cargo compartment of a plane
2.
a. : a division of the interior especially the cargo deck of a ship
b. : a division of the interior of a plane especially for cargo
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Old English, from Old Norse hölthr free landowner, man; akin to Old English hæle, hæleth man, hero, Old Saxon helith man, hero, Old Norse halr man, and perhaps to Sanskrit kalya healthy — more at calli-
: an officer of high rank in the Danelaw corresponding to the high reeve of the Anglo-Saxons
V. noun
: a delay in a countdown (as in launching a missile)
•
- on hold