holding

[hohl-ding]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that holds. hold.

2. a section of land leased or otherwise tenanted, especially for agricultural purposes.

3. a company owned by a holding company.

4. Often holdings. legally owned property, especially stocks, bonds, or real estate.

5. Library Science.,  holdings, the entire collection of books, periodicals, and other materials in a library.

6. Sports.,  the illegal obstruction of an opponent, as in football, basketball, or ice hockey, by use of the hands, arms, or stick.

holding

/ ˈhəʊldɪŋ /

noun

1. land held under a lease and used for agriculture or similar purposes

2. (often plural) property to which the holder has legal title, such as land, stocks, shares, and other investments

3. sport the obstruction of an opponent with the hands or arms, esp in boxing

adjective

1. informal,  in funds; having money

Other Word Forms

• preholding noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of holding¹

First recorded in 1175–1225, holding is from the Middle English word holding. See hold ¹, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

The actor reappears, pointing to another short video of what appears to be couples holding oversized checks and celebrating.

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She recalled a trip to an H Mart where she saw a young boy singing “Golden” at the top of his lungs while holding hands with his mother.

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TNT and Amazon Prime show live European games in the UK with BBC Sport holding rights for highlights online, along with a highlights show on BBC One.

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Le Pen, whose party leads in the polls, has called on Macron to "seriously consider" dissolving parliament and holding new parliamentary elections.

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One by one, the anchors holding people in place - home, community, family - have been loosened by the constant uprooting of Gaza's population and the razing of its neighbourhoods and streets.

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Related Words

• equity 
• goods 
• ownership 
• property