hold
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to have or keep in the hand; keep fast; grasp.
She held the purse in her right hand.
He held the child's hand in his.
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to set aside; reserve or retain.
to hold merchandise until called for;
to hold a reservation.
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to bear, sustain, or support, as with the hands or arms, or by any other means.
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to keep in a specified state, relation, etc..
The preacher held them spellbound.
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to detain.
The police held him at the station house.
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to engage in; preside over; carry on.
to hold a meeting.
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to keep back from action; hinder; restrain.
Fear held him from acting.
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to have the ownership or use of; keep as one's own; occupy.
to hold political office.
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to contain or be capable of containing.
This bottle holds a quart.
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to bind or make accountable to an obligation.
We will hold you to your promise to pay back the money.
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to have or keep in the mind; think or believe.
We hold this belief.
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to regard or consider.
to hold a person responsible.
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to decide legally.
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to consider of a certain value; rate.
We held her best of all the applicants.
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to keep forcibly, as against an adversary.
Enemy forces held the hill.
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to point, aim, or direct.
He held a gun on the prisoner.
The firefighter held a hose on the blaze.
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Music. to sustain (a note, chord, or rest).
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to omit from the usual order or combination.
Give me a burger well-done—hold the pickle.
verb (used without object)
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to remain or continue in a specified state, relation, etc..
Hold still while I take your picture.
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to remain fast; adhere; cling.
The buttonhole stitching is so frayed that the button no longer holds.
- Synonyms:
- stick
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to keep or maintain a grasp on something.
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to maintain one's position against opposition; continue in resistance.
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to agree or side (usually followed bywith ).
to hold with new methods.
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to keep a telephone connection open; refrain from hanging up (often followed byon ).
The customer service rep asked me to hold while she checked my account balance.
Hold on, I’ve got another incoming call.
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to hold property by some tenure; derive title (usually followed by by, from, in, orof ).
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to remain attached, faithful, or steadfast (usually followed byto ).
to hold to one's purpose.
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to remain valid; be in force.
The rule does not hold.
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to refrain or forbear (usually used imperatively).
noun
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an act of holding fast by a grasp of the hand or by some other physical means; grasp; grip.
Take hold.
Do you have a hold on the rope?
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something to hold a thing by, as a handle; something to grasp, especially for support.
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something that holds fast or supports something else.
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an order reserving something.
to put a hold on a library book.
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Finance. a security purchased or recommended for long-term growth.
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a controlling force or dominating influence.
to have a hold on a person.
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Wrestling. a method of seizing an opponent and keeping him in control.
a toe hold.
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Music. fermata.
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a pause or delay, as in a continuing series.
a hold in the movements of a dance.
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a prison or prison cell.
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a receptacle for something.
a basket used as a hold for letters.
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Rocketry. a halt in the prelaunch countdown, either planned or unexpectedly called, to allow correction of one or more faults in the rocket or missile.
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a fortified place; stronghold.
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(on telephones with two or more lines) a feature that enables a person to maintain a connection on one line while answering another line.
verb phrase
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hold out
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to present; offer.
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to stretch forth; extend.
Hold out your hand.
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to continue to exist; last.
Will the food hold out?
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to refuse to yield or submit.
The defenders held out for weeks.
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to withhold something expected or due.
He was suspected of holding out information important to the case.
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hold on
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to keep a firm grip on.
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to keep going; continue.
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to maintain, as one's opinion or position.
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to stop; halt (usually used imperatively).
Hold on now! That isn't what I meant at all.
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hold.
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hold off
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to keep at a distance; resist; repel.
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to postpone action; defer.
If you hold off applying for a passport, you may not get one in time.
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hold with
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to be in agreement with; concur with.
I don't hold with his pessimistic views.
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to approve of; condone.
They won't hold with such a travesty of justice.
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hold over
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to keep for future consideration or action; postpone.
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to remain in possession or in office beyond the regular term.
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to remain beyond the arranged period.
The movie was held over for a week.
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Music. to prolong (a tone) from one measure to the next.
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hold up
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to offer; give.
She held up his father as an example to follow.
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to present to notice; expose.
to hold someone up to ridicule.
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to hinder; delay.
The plane's departure was held up because of the storm.
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to stop by force in order to rob.
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to support; uphold.
to hold up farm prices.
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to stop; halt.
They held up at the gate.
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to maintain one's position or condition; endure.
They held up through all their troubles.
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hold down
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to restrain; check.
Hold down that noise!
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to continue to hold and manage well.
She held down that job for years.
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hold in
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to restrain; check; curb.
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to contain oneself; exercise restraint.
He was raging inside, but held himself in for fear of saying something he would regret.
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hold back
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to restrain or check.
Police held back the crowd.
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to retain possession of; keep back.
He held back ten dollars.
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to refrain from revealing; withhold.
to hold back information.
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to refrain from participating or engaging in some activity.
He held back from joining in the singing because he felt depressed.
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Photography. dodge.
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hold forth
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to extend or offer; propose.
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to talk at great length; harangue.
When we left, he was still holding forth on World War II.
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idioms
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get hold of,
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to get a hold on.
Get hold of the railing.
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to communicate with, especially by telephone.
If she's not at home, try to get hold of her at the office.
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no holds barred, without limits, rules, or restraints.
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hold one's peace. peace.
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hold water. water.
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hold one's tongue. tongue.
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hold one's own. own.
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on hold,
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in or into a state of temporary interruption or suspension.
The project will be put on hold until funds become available.
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Telecommunications. in or into a state of temporary interruption in a telephone connection.
I'm putting you on hold to answer another call.
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noun
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Nautical.
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the entire cargo space in the hull of a vessel.
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the cargo space in the hull of a vessel between the lowermost deck and the bottom.
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any individual compartment of such cargo spaces, closed by bulkheads and having its own hatchway.
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Aviation. the cargo compartment of an aircraft.
verb
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to have or keep (an object) with or within the hands, arms, etc; clasp
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(tr) to support or bear
to hold a drowning man's head above water
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to maintain or be maintained in a specified state or condition
to hold one's emotions in check
hold firm
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(tr) to set aside or reserve
they will hold our tickets until tomorrow
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(when intr, usually used in commands) to restrain or be restrained from motion, action, departure, etc
hold that man until the police come
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(intr) to remain fast or unbroken
that cable won't hold much longer
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(intr) (of the weather) to remain dry and bright
how long will the weather hold?
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(tr) to keep the attention of
her singing held the audience
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(tr) to engage in or carry on
to hold a meeting
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(tr) to have the ownership, possession, etc, of
he holds a law degree from London
who's holding the ace of spades?
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(tr) to have the use of or responsibility for
to hold the office of director
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(tr) to have the space or capacity for
the carton will hold only eight books
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(tr) to be able to control the outward effects of drinking beer, spirits, etc
he can hold his drink well
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to remain or cause to remain committed to
hold him to his promise
he held by his views in spite of opposition
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(tr; takes a clause as object) to claim
he holds that the theory is incorrect
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(intr) to remain relevant, valid, or true
the old philosophies don't hold nowadays
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(tr) to keep in the mind
to hold affection for someone
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(tr) to regard or consider in a specified manner
I hold him very dear
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(tr) to guard or defend successfully
hold the fort against the attack
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(intr) to continue to go
hold on one's way
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(sometimes foll by on) music to sustain the sound of (a note) throughout its specified duration
to hold on a semibreve for its full value
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(tr) computing to retain (data) in a storage device after copying onto another storage device or onto another location in the same device Compare clear
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(tr) to be in possession of illegal drugs
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to apply or be relevant to
the same rules hold for everyone
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holding the thumb of one hand with the other, in the hope of bringing good luck
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stop! wait!
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stay in the same position! as when being photographed
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to conduct oneself in a proud and confident manner
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to maintain one's situation or position esp in spite of opposition or difficulty
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to keep silent
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to prove credible, logical, or consistent
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he is so spirited or resolute that he cannot be restrained
noun
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the act or method of holding fast or grasping, as with the hands
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something to hold onto, as for support or control
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an object or device that holds fast or grips something else so as to hold it fast
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controlling force or influence
she has a hold on him
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a short delay or pause
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a prison or a cell in a prison
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wrestling a way of seizing one's opponent
a wrist hold
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music a pause or fermata
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a tenure or holding, esp of land
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( in combination )
leasehold
freehold
copyhold
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a container
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archaic a fortified place
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to obtain
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to come into contact with
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all limitations removed
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in a state of temporary postponement or delay
noun
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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holdsimple
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holdssimple
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have heldperfect
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have holdenperfect
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has heldperfect
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has holdenperfect
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am holdingprogressive
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are holdingprogressive
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is holdingprogressive
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have been holdingperfect progressive
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has been holdingperfect progressive
Past
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heldsimple
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had heldperfect
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had holdenperfect
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was holdingprogressive
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were holdingprogressive
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had been holdingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of hold1
First recorded before 900; Middle English holden, halden Old English healdan, haldan; cognate with Old Frisian, Old Norse halda, Old Saxon, Gothic haldan, Old High German haltan, German halten
Origin of hold2
First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English; variant of hole; cognate with Dutch hol “hole, hold”
Explanation
If you grasp something in your hands, you hold it. Be careful when you hold the puppy — he's so wriggly, and you wouldn't want to drop him! Hold also means to keep from exhaling. If you forget to hold your breath when you go underwater, you're sure to come up sputtering. The noun hold means the cargo area on a ship or airplane. When you check your bag, it's stored in the hold of the plane during the flight. If you packed your book and your snacks in it, it might make more sense to hold onto it instead.
Vocabulary lists containing hold
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.
See Examples For:
Firefighters have been battling to hold the blazes back from Bordeaux, which lies at the heart of the world-famous wine-growing region, with authorities evacuating thousands of people from villages close to the city.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
And, more than ever before, he proved that his hold on the peloton is so suffocating that no one even dares attack him anymore.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Carson, the defending City Section Open Division champion, will have five mandatory days of acclimation, then hold an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 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
Hastily I hold up the envelope of bills, and when I give it over my hand shakes only a little.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
At the back of Arevalo's cart -- decorated all over with colorful menu pictures of chicken wings and coconut juice -- is an inverter that holds up to six, foot-long batteries.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
It is a finding that, if it holds true as AI continues to develop, could point to a future where the demand for highly skilled workers is accentuated rather than diminished.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
One way for consumers to find some budget relief is to take advantage of sales-tax holidays, if their state holds them.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
State business records show Croom filed paperwork to create both entities and holds roles at each.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
He holds up both his hands, palms out.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Then in November 2025 he returned to Germany where he was arrested at Berlin Brandenburg Airport and held in pre-trial detention.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
"We are very happy and very excited" to welcome him back, said Eva Amador, 56, a supporter of the former president, as she held a banner on Sunday with a message thanking Trump.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Then again, it would be largely futile for publicly held banks to stop filing quarterly reports with the SEC.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
For someone who never held political office — a 1999 bid for San Francisco mayor was a notable flop — Reilly wielded considerable influence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
Glenn held the ladder while I went up it.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Coles had lost eighty thousand dollars by his speculation in the Snowden, for one half of which Kennedy was holden to him; but the bond had been effectually cancelled by the death of the principal.
From Brave Old Salt or, Life on the Quarter Deck by Optic, Oliver
Now why all this mystery? why were their eyes holden that they should not know him? why pretend ignorance? why make "as though he would go further?"
From Supernatural Religion, Vol. III. (of III) An Inquiry into the Reality of Divine Revelation by Cassels, Walter Richard
His eyes were holden that he saw not.
From Life Without and Life Within or, Reviews, Narratives, Essays, and poems. by Fuller, Margaret
There are few whose eyes are now holden as they used to be, as to the surpassing place in the history of culture of the last three centuries of the Middle Ages.
From The Thirteenth Greatest of Centuries by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)
Long before we see it, it was there, but our eyes were holden.
From Diana Tempest, Volume III (of 3) by Cholmondeley, Mary
His failure to slow sufficiently for yellow flags in qualifying compromised his starting position, but recovering from seventh to the podium and holding off the Ferraris was an impressive response.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
"Once or twice a year a movie opens big and then plays for weeks and weeks... 'The Odyssey' is showing that kind of holding power, and Christopher Nolan has done it before," said Gross.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
On the other hand, Dutta said, Warsh could probably get the committee to back holding rates unchanged in July.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 25, 2026
She opened up the first class by holding up the book and declaring, “This is what the field of sociology is about.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
‘Here,’ said Renn, holding out the ravenskin pouch.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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.
