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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

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

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government, which has steered clear of public criticism of the Trump administration, struck a conciliatory tone on the tech deal hold-up.

From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025

All of England's dynamic and creative forwards are capable of exploiting that and with good hold-up play, which Alessia Russo has, you can get at Spain.

From BBC • Jul. 25, 2025

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

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Related Words

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