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• hold-up
  hold-up

  noun

  a robbery, esp an armed one
• hold up
  hold up

  Offer or present as an example, as in The teacher held Bernie's essay up as a model for the class to follow . [c. 1600]

hold-up

British  

noun

1. a robbery, esp an armed one

2. a delay; stoppage

3. an excessive charge; extortion

4. (usually plural) a stocking that is held up by an elasticated top without suspenders

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verb

1. (tr) to delay; hinder

   we were held up by traffic

2. (tr) to keep from falling; support

3. (tr) to stop forcibly or waylay in order to rob, esp using a weapon

4. (tr) to exhibit or present

   he held up his achievements for our admiration

5. (intr) to survive or last

   how are your shoes holding up?

6. bridge to refrain from playing a high card, so delaying the establishment of (a suit)

7. to confess a mistake or misdeed

hold up Idioms  

1. Offer or present as an example, as in The teacher held Bernie's essay up as a model for the class to follow . [c. 1600]

2. Obstruct or delay, as in We were held up in traffic . [c. 1900]

3. Rob, as in He was held up in a dark alley, with no help nearby . This usage, which gave rise to the noun holdup for a robbery, alludes to the robbers' demand that the victims hold their hands high. [Late 1800s]

4. Also, hold out . Continue to function without losing force or effectiveness, endure. For example, We held up through that long bitter winter , or The nurse was able to hold out until someone could relieve her . [Late 1500s]

5. See hold one's head high .

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hold-up hold up

Fujimoto, whose great-great-grandparents helped found Chinatown generations ago, said he is confused by the hold-up.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

For years, though, there has been a hold-up: The legislation the team said it needed hadn’t passed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026

That led to a hold-up of several minutes before the game resumed, with Vinicius then being jeered by the home fans.

From Barron's ● Feb. 17, 2026

United's tendency to go long, overloading the wide areas, may therefore pose a challenge City will need to be aware of, particularly if they can find a player with the hold-up quality of Bryan Mbeumo.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2025

“Gonna check things out up ahead—see if anyone knows what the hold-up is.”

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Still there are questions about how ratings will hold up in a fragmented landscape that increasingly requires fans of the NBA and other sports to pay for multiple services to watch their favorite teams.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Igor Jesus: Had a great chance early on and his hold up play was brilliant for Ndoye's goal.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

While artificial-intelligence disruption fears have dogged the sector this year, investors seem to be coming around to the view that some software-as-a-service companies will hold up better than others in the AI era.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

It gives the state a number to point to, a process it can hold up in filings and hearings as proof that vulnerable people are being found and protected.

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026

I didn’t get a chance to see if my nerve would hold up to my indignation, because she was just nice as you please.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Related Words

• delay
• detain
• hinder
• impede
• interrupt
• stay
• stop
• suspend