verb
Etymology: Middle English holden up, from holden to hold + up
transitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : raise , lift
hold your hand up if you wish the chairman to recognize you
hold up the object so it can be seen more clearly
(2) : support , sustain
the underpinnings were not adequate to hold the house up
the confiscated money held the toppling regime up for only a short time
b. : hold vt 4m
c. : to expose or call to attention as something one subscribes to, advocates, or lives by
held a high standard up for his colleagues to follow
held up the Old Testament in opposition to 18th century rationalism — William Petersen
2.
a. : to rein in : check , halt
hold up a horse
b. : to prevent (a fox or cub) from leaving a covert thus assuring a find and kill in fox hunting
c. : to stop, delay, or impede the course or advance of
the accident held the traffic up for an hour
a storm that held deliveries up for a day
felt that she was holding her husband up in his career
3. : to refuse to play (the winning card of a suit led)
4. : to rob at gun's point
held a gas station up and got away with several thousand dollars
plotting to hold up a bank
intransitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to remain undismayed or unsubdued (as under attack or misfortune)
was determined to hold up for her children's sake
hold up under attack
(2) : to keep from falling : not to collapse, crumble, or fall apart
an industry that held up well in the depression
b. : to prove true, accurate, or valid
much depends on how well the weather forecasts hold up
wondered if the charges would hold up in court
c. : to prove effective : prevail
despite attempts to countermand them, the provisions of the old charter held up
2.
a. : to keep up : not fall behind or lose ground : hold out
even the smaller children held up pretty well until the last mile
b. : to retain interest or artistic effectiveness especially over an extended period of time
a book that holds up well
3. : to stop an action or postpone an intended action
planned a picnic but the rain forced us to hold up
4. : to keep from raining : remain clear
a beautiful day, if it only holds up
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- hold up on