hold back

verb

1. to restrain or be restrained

2. (tr) to withhold

   he held back part of the payment

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

Idioms and Phrases

Also, keep back.

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]

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.

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 .

Example Sentences

"People are not sure what the policies are going to be, so they are holding back, they are sitting on their hands," she said.

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The administration first tried to hold back funding approved by Congress.

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They didn’t hold back—they made fun of how he looked, they mocked his father’s Nigerian accent, and they topped it off by tugging at the dashiki until it ripped.

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Penelope thought of Old Timothy and held back a smile.

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With a flourish, the maître d’ held back an armful of foliage so that Penelope could enter the leafy, secluded room.

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