hold back

British  

verb

1. to restrain or be restrained

2. (tr) to withhold

   he held back part of the payment

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noun

1. a strap of the harness joining the breeching to the shaft, so that the horse can hold back the vehicle

2. something that restrains or hinders

hold back Idioms  

1. Also, keep back.

2. Retain in one's possession or control, as in He held back vital information , or I managed to keep back my tears . [First half of 1500s]

3. Restrain one-self, as in She held back from joining the others , or I wanted to denounce him right there, but I kept back for fear of making a scene . The first usage dates from the second half of the 1500s, the variant from the early 1800s.

4. Impede the progress of, as in The barriers held back traffic during the funeral procession , or Her daughter was kept back and had to repeat first grade .

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Example Sentences

U.S. jobless claims rose slightly last week as employers held back from widespread layoffs.

From The Wall Street Journal

That leaves the BOJ in a familiar bind: Hike too soon and risk clipping fragile growth, or hold back and risk damaging household confidence, plus U.S. scrutiny if the yen weakens excessively.

From The Wall Street Journal

Two-thirds of children who were held back had summer birthdays between June and August — near the kindergarten enrollment cutoff dates in most states — and would have been young for their grade.

From Los Angeles Times

In both cases, the Islamic Republic has held back in hopes of avoiding the sort of war it is now having to fight, Lewis said.

From The Wall Street Journal

That’s likely holding back risk appetite with stocks not yet ready to react to an easing of global crude prices.

From Barron's