hold on
Britishverb
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to maintain a firm grasp
she held on with all her strength
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to continue or persist
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(foll by to) to keep or retain
hold on to those stamps as they'll soon be valuable
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to keep a telephone line open
interjection
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Also, hold on to . Maintain one's grip, cling, as in Hold on to your hat in this wind , or The early Christians held on to their beliefs despite strong opposition . [Early 1500s]
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Continue to do something, persist, as in Please hold on for a while longer . [Late 1800s]
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Stop, wait, as in Hold on! We can't go past this gate . [Mid-1800s]
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Remain on a telephone line, as in If you can hold on a minute I'll go and find her . [Late 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This morning, I actually squealed when the library emailed to say my hold on “The Wind in the Willows”—a book I first read in sixth grade—was ready for pickup.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
The 31-year-old looked to have found the strength which helped him win the Vuelta a Espana in 2023 and seemed set to hold on to a slender lead for victory.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Verizon noted that its top-line total reflected a nearly 20% drop in equipment revenue as the company pulled back on device promotions and saw customers hold on to phones for longer.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
But there may be a force at play with an even firmer hold on the American man: gas prices.
From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026
I try a smile but my lips can’t hold on to it.
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
