hold out

British  

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

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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

hold out Idioms  

1. 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.

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

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

4. 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 .

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

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Example Sentences

Common throughout the show is the juxtaposition of art that holds out optimistic visions of technology’s possibilities with works that put forward more depressing perspectives about the harms it can entail.

From The Wall Street Journal

“For your mother, Corrie,” Tine said, holding out the flowers as I opened the door.

From Literature

She held out her hand for the compass.

From Literature

To his surprise, she held out a salmon cake to Wolf.

From Literature

He held out his hand for the book as he moved toward me.

From Literature

Related Words

• hold on
• withstand