holding
Americannoun
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the act of a person or thing that holds.
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a section of land leased or otherwise tenanted, especially for agricultural purposes.
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a company owned by a holding company.
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Often holdings. legally owned property, especially stocks, bonds, or real estate.
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Library Science. holdings, the entire collection of books, periodicals, and other materials in a library.
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Sports. the illegal obstruction of an opponent, as in football, basketball, or ice hockey, by use of the hands, arms, or stick.
noun
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land held under a lease and used for agriculture or similar purposes
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(often plural) property to which the holder has legal title, such as land, stocks, shares, and other investments
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sport the obstruction of an opponent with the hands or arms, esp in boxing
adjective
Other Word Forms
- preholding noun
Etymology
Origin of holding
First recorded in 1175–1225, holding is from the Middle English word holding. See hold 1, -ing 1
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.
Among the photos in the website is one of his father holding a fishing rod after catching a fish.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
The Runjeet Singh Gallery is holding an opening weekend at its premises on Chandos Street, in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, starting from Friday until Sunday.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
Major banks posting their first-quarter earnings have reported household finances are holding up well.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
With T. Bone Burnett holding forth in the producer’s chair yet again, “Long Long Road” matches its predecessor’s penchant for warmhearted storytelling and well-played musical confections.
From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026
About a year ago, a group of us started holding bonfires at dedicated clearings in the woods, nowhere near enough to houses for parents to come nosing around our flickering flames.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
