hold Meaning & Definition
What Does Hold Mean?
As a verb, hold means to have possession or ownership of or have at one's disposal. It can also mean to have as a privilege or position of responsibility. As a noun, it means stronghold. As a noun, it means the interior of a ship below decks.
Hold at a Glance
| Part of speech | verb, noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈhōld/ |
| Synonyms | sustain, support and control |
| Antonyms | release, let go and let go of |
| First known use | 1859 |
Hold Definition (Verb)
- to have possession or ownership of or have at one's disposal
holds property worth millions / the bank holds the title to the car
- to have as a privilege or position of responsibility
hold a professorship
- to have as a mark of distinction
holds the record for the 100-yard dash / holds a PhD
- to keep under restraint : such as
hold price increases to a minimum
- to prevent free expression of
hold your temper
- to prevent from some action
ordered the troops to hold fire / the only restraining motive which may hold the hand of a tyrant
- to keep back from use
ask them to hold a room for us / I'll have a hot dog, and hold the mustard
- to delay temporarily the handling of
please hold all my calls
- to make liable or accountable or bound to an obligation
I'll hold you to your promise
- to have or maintain in the grasp
hold my hand / this is how you hold the racket
- aim, point
held a gun on them
- to support in a particular position or keep from falling or moving
hold me up so I can see / hold the ladder steady / a clamp holds the whole thing together / hold your head up
- to bear the pressure of : support
can the roof hold all of that weight
- to prevent from leaving or getting away : such as
hold the train
- to avoid emitting or letting out
how long can you hold your breath
- to restrain as or as if a captive
the suspect was held without bail / held them at gunpoint
- to have strong appeal to
the book held my interest throughout
- to enclose and keep in a container or within bounds : contain
the jug holds one gallon / this corral will not hold all of the horses
- to be able to consume easily or without undue effect
can't hold any more pie
- to be able to drink (alcoholic beverages) without becoming noticeably drunk
can't hold your liquor
- accommodate
the restaurant holds 400 diners
- to have as a principal or essential feature or attribute
the book holds a number of surprises
- to have in store
no one knows what the future holds
- to have in the mind or express as a judgment, opinion, or belief
I hold the view that this is wrong / hold a grudge / holding that it is nobody's business but his
- to think of in a particular way : regard
were held in high esteem
- to assemble for and carry on the activity of
held a convention
- to cause to be carried on : conduct
will hold a seminar
- to produce or sponsor especially as a public exhibition
will hold an art show
- to maintain occupation, control, or defense of
the troops held the ridge
- to resist the offensive efforts or advance of
held the opposing team to just two points
- to maintain (a certain condition, situation, or course of action) without change
hold a course due east
- to cover (a part of the body) with one or both hands (as for protection or comfort)
held his knee after the fall
- to cover (the ears) to prevent hearing
held her ears when the train went by
- to maintain position : refuse to give ground
the defensive line is holding
- to continue in the same way or to the same degree : last:1
hopes the weather will hold
- to derive right or title
- to be or remain valid : apply
the rule holds in most cases
- to maintain a grasp on something : remain fastened to something
the anchor held in the rough sea
- to go ahead as one has been going
held south for several miles
- to bear or carry oneself
asked him to hold still
- to forbear an intended or threatened action : halt, pause
- to stop counting during a countdown
- to have illicit drug material in one's possession
Hold as a Noun
- stronghold
- confinement, custody
- prison
- the act or the manner of grasping something (as in the hands or arms) : grip
released his hold on the handle / took hold of the rope
- a manner of grasping an opponent in wrestling
applied an illegal hold
- a nonphysical bond that attaches, restrains, or constrains or by which something is affected, controlled, or dominated
trying to tighten her hold on the company's finances / has lost its hold on the broad public
- full comprehension
… get hold of exactly what is happening …
- full or immediate control : possession
get hold of yourself / wants to get hold of a road map
- touch
- something that may be grasped as a support
searched for holds in the rock
- fermata
- the time between the onset and the release see release:2 of a vocal articulation see articulation
- a sudden motionless posture at the end of a dance
- an order or indication that something is to be reserved or delayed
I asked the library to put a hold on the book for me.
- a delay in a countdown (as in launching a spacecraft)
Noun
- the interior of a ship below decks
- the cargo deck of a ship
- the cargo compartment of a plane
Noun
- a prolongation at the discretion of the performer of a musical note, chord, or rest beyond its given time value
- the sign denoting such a prolongation
Synonyms of Hold
Antonyms of Hold
Hold in a Sentence
Keep a firm hold on the handlebars.
Can I have a hold of the baby?
Senator X placed a hold on the bill, then went to the library and placed a hold on a book.
We have a hold here for you.
He got him in a tight hold and pinned him to the mat.
The House Hold on the game is 10,000, this is the amount of decision or risk the house wishes to assume.
As of Monday night the total Melbourne Cup hold was $848,015
Hold the pencil like this.
This package holds six bottles.
Elections will be held on the first Sunday of next month.
A martini, please, and hold the olive.
Put that in the hold.
holds property worth millions
the bank holds the title to the car
hold a professorship
holds the record for the 100-yard dash
holds a PhD
hold price increases to a minimum
hold your temper
ordered the troops to hold fire
the only restraining motive which may hold the hand of a tyrant
ask them to hold a room for us
I'll have a hot dog, and hold the mustard
please hold all my calls
I'll hold you to your promise
hold my hand
this is how you hold the racket
held a gun on them
hold me up so I can see
hold the ladder steady
a clamp holds the whole thing together
hold your head up
can the roof hold all of that weight
hold the train
how long can you hold your breath
the suspect was held without bail
held them at gunpoint
the book held my interest throughout
the jug holds one gallon
this corral will not hold all of the horses
can't hold any more pie
can't hold your liquor
the restaurant holds 400 diners
the book holds a number of surprises
no one knows what the future holds
I hold the view that this is wrong
hold a grudge
holding that it is nobody's business but his
were held in high esteem
held a convention
will hold a seminar
will hold an art show
the troops held the ridge
held the opposing team to just two points
hold a course due east
held his knee after the fall
held her ears when the train went by
the defensive line is holding
hopes the weather will hold
the rule holds in most cases
the anchor held in the rough sea
held south for several miles
asked him to hold still
released his hold on the handle
took hold of the rope
applied an illegal hold
trying to tighten her hold on the company's finances
has lost its hold on the broad public
… get hold of exactly what is happening …
get hold of yourself
wants to get hold of a road map
searched for holds in the rock
I asked the library to put a hold on the book for me.
this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder
she, and she alone, held the keys to the mysterious chest
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal
the mysterious chest held an ancient book on magic spells and potions
still held her close to his heart, though they had long parted
the same family has held this piece of land for over 100 years
the couple needed to rent a hall that would hold 300 people
please hold my arm on these slippery stairs
held to be the best blueberry pies in the state
we managed to hold our laughter until we got outside
hold your temper until you hear the whole story
held the camera on the actor throughout the scene
make sure you have a firm hold on the chain saw before you turn it on
the ruins of an ancient Roman hold
the government has no hold over where we live and work
I worry that I won't be able to get hold of you in an emergency
upon hearing the guilty verdict, the accused realized that he would lie in that godforsaken hold for the remainder of his life
I need to get hold of the situation before planning a course of action
a suspected terrorist who was abducted at an airport and put in hold at an undisclosed location
holds property worth millions / the bank holds the title to the car
holds the record for the 100-yard dash / holds a PhD
ordered the troops to hold fire / the only restraining motive which may hold the hand of a tyrant
ask them to hold a room for us / I'll have a hot dog, and hold the mustard
hold my hand / this is how you hold the racket
hold me up so I can see / hold the ladder steady / a clamp holds the whole thing together / hold your head up
the suspect was held without bail / held them at gunpoint
the jug holds one gallon / this corral will not hold all of the horses
I hold the view that this is wrong / hold a grudge / holding that it is nobody's business but his
released his hold on the handle / took hold of the rope
trying to tighten her hold on the company's finances / has lost its hold on the broad public
get hold of yourself / wants to get hold of a road map
Word Forms & Grammar
held
hold·ing
hold
holding
holds
fermata
fermatas
holden
hold court
hold hands
hold one's breath
hold one's horses
hold one's own
hold one's peace
hold one's tongue
hold sway
hold the bag
hold the fort
hold the line
hold to account
on hold
Words That Rhyme With Hold
Origin of Hold
Origin 1: Middle English holden, going back to Old English healdan, going back to Germanic *hald-a-, whence also Old High German haltan "to protect, guard, hold," Old Saxon haldan, Old Norse halda, Gothic haldan "to tend, graze (cattle)"; perhaps, if -d- (going back to Indo-European *-dh-) is a root extension with resultative meaning, a derivative from the Indo-European base *kelh1- "set in motion," with sense shift from "pasture" to "keep, protect" to "hold" accelerate
Origin 2: see hold:1
Origin 3: alteration of hole
Origin 4: Italian, literally, stop, from fermare to stop, from Latin firmare to make firm
First Known Use
before 12th centuryt
14th century
1591
circa 1859
Common Questions About Hold
Is hold a verb or a noun?
Hold is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as a noun.
What is another word for hold?
Words with a similar meaning to hold include sustain, support and control. See the full list of hold synonyms and antonyms.