hold out

verb

1. (tr) to offer or present

2. (intr) to last or endure

3. (intr) to continue to resist or stand firm, as a city under siege or a person refusing to succumb to persuasion

4. to withhold (something due or expected)

5. to wait patiently or uncompromisingly for (the fulfilment of one's demands)

6. informal,  to delay in or keep from telling (a person) some new or important information

noun

1. a person, country, organization, etc, that continues to resist or refuses to change

   Honecker was one of the staunchest holdouts against reform

2. a person, country, organization, etc, that declines to cooperate or participate

   they remain the only holdouts to signing the accord

Idioms and Phrases

Extend, stretch forth; also, present or offer something. For example, He held out his hand and she took it , or The new policy held out promise of major changes in the welfare program . These usages date from the first half of the 1500s and of the 1600s respectively.

Last, continue to be in supply or service, as in The food is holding out nicely . [Late 1500s] Also see hold up , def. 4.

Continue to resist, as in The garrison held out for another month . [Second half of 1700s]

Withhold cooperation, agreement, or information, as in We've asked for a better deal, but they've been holding out for months . It is also put as hold out on , as in They were still holding out on some of the provisions , or He's not telling us what happened; he's holding out on us .

hold out for . Insist on obtaining, as in The union is still holding out for a better contract . [c. 1900]

Example Sentences

Merino equalised for Arsenal just before the hour but Chelsea dug in and held out in difficult circumstances.

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Car buyers are downsizing, buying used vehicles, taking on longer car loans and holding out for deals.

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USC opened the game without its top two weapons in the passing game on the field, as Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane were held out of the first quarter for disciplinary reasons.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Mr. Yermak has been Ukraine’s toughest negotiator in peace talks, holding out against bad ideas.

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Putin on Thursday held out the prospect of Russia and the U.S. working together on regulating nuclear testing, without elaborating, and suggested that could be discussed between aides meeting in Moscow next week.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• hold on 
• withstand