hold

Word family  noun hold holder holding verb hold

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++hold1 /həʊld $ hoʊld/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense and past participle held /held/)  1  in your hand/arms 在手中/怀抱中 a) [transitive]HOLD to have something in your hand, hands, or arms 握住，抓住；抱住 Could you hold my bag for me? 你能帮我拿着包吗？hold something in your hand/arms He was holding a knife in one hand. 他手中拿着一把刀。 I held the baby in my arms. 我把宝宝抱在怀里。hold hands (=hold each other’s hands) 手拉着手 They sat holding hands under a tree. 他们手拉着手坐在树下。hold somebody close/tightly (=with your arms around someone) 紧抱某人 Max held her close and wiped away her tears. 马克斯抱紧她并给她擦去眼泪。 b) [transitive always + adverb/preposition]MOVE something OR somebody to move your hand or something in your hand in a particular direction 使〔手、手持之物〕处于某种位置hold something out/up etc He held out his hand to help her to her feet. 他伸出手帮助她站起来。 Hold the picture up so we can see it. 把图片举高好让我们看到。 →4  See picture of 见图 hold2  event 事件 [transitive] to have a meeting, party, election etc in a particular place or at a particular time 召开；举行；进行 This year’s conference will be held at the Hilton Hotel. 今年的会议将在希尔顿酒店召开。 A thanksgiving ceremony was held to mark the occasion. 举行了一个感恩仪式以庆祝这一特别的时刻。 The funeral was held on a grey day in November. 葬礼在11月的一个阴天举行。 In April, the president held talks with Chinese leaders. 4月，总统和中国领导人举行了会谈。3  keep STH in position 使某物保持在某种位置上 [transitive] to make something stay in a particular position 使〔某物〕保持〔在某种位置上〕hold something open/up etc We used rolled-up newspapers to hold the windows open. 我们用卷起的报纸抵住窗户让它们开着。 Remember to hold your head up and keep your back straight. 记住要抬头挺胸。hold something in place/position A couple of screws should hold it in place. 几个螺钉就可以把它固定住了。 Lift your head off the floor and hold this position for five seconds. 把头抬离地面，保持这个姿势五秒钟。4  job/title 工作/头衔JOB/WORK [transitive] a) to have a particular job or position, especially an important one 担任〔尤指重要职位〕 Do you really think he’s capable of holding such a responsible position? 你真的认为他能担任这个责任重大的职位吗？hold the post/position/office etc (of something) She was the first woman to hold the office of Australian state premier. 她是第一位担任澳大利亚州总理的女性。 The governor had held the post since 1989. 那位州长自1989年起一直在任。 Whoever is elected will hold office (=have an important political position) for four years. 当选者任期为四年。 b) to have a particular title or record, because you have won a competition, are the best at something etc 拥有〔头衔、称号〕；保持〔纪录〕 The programme still holds the record for the longest running TV series. 该节目仍然保持着播放时间最长的电视系列节目这一纪录。 The last Briton to hold the title was Bert Nicholson. 最后一名拥有该称号的英国人是伯特•尼科尔森。5  keep/store 保留/保存 [transitive] to keep something to be used when it is needed 保存，保留〔以备后用〕 Further copies of the book are held in the library. 这本书在图书馆还存有一些。 Weapons were held at various sites. 武器存放在不同地点。6  keep STH available for SB 为某人保留某物 [transitive] to agree not to give something such as a ticket, a place at a restaurant, a job etc to anyone except a particular person 〔为某人〕保留〔票、餐厅座位、工作等〕 We can hold the reservation for you until next Friday. 我们可以把您的预订保留到下星期五。hold something open You can’t expect them to hold the job open for much longer – you’ll have to decide whether you want it or not. 不要以为他们还会保留这个空缺职位很长时间——你必须决定要不要接受。7  keep SB somewhere 把某人关在某处 [transitive] to keep someone somewhere, and not allow them to leave 关押，扣留 Police are holding two men in connection with the robbery. 警方拘留了同抢劫案有关联的两名男子。hold somebody prisoner/hostage/captive A senior army officer was held hostage for four months. 一名高级军官被扣押为人质达四个月。hold somebody incommunicado (=keep someone somewhere and not allow them to communicate with anyone) 单独囚禁某人8  opinion 观点 [transitive not in progressive] to have a particular opinion or belief 持有，怀有〔某种观点或信念〕 Experts hold varying opinions as to the causes of the disease. 专家们对该病的病因各持不同意见。be widely/generally/commonly held (=be the opinion of a lot of people) 普遍认为 This view is not widely held. 持这种观点的人并不多见。be held to be something She was held to be one of the most talented actors of her time. 她被认为是她那个时代最有天赋的演员之一。hold that The judge held that the child’s interests in this case must come first. 法官认为，该案必须首先考虑孩子的利益。9  hold somebody responsible/accountable/liable (for something) to say or decide that someone should accept the responsibility for something bad that happens 认为某人应该（为某事）负责，要某人（对某事）负责 If anything happens to her, I’ll hold you personally responsible. 如果她出了什么事，我就唯你是问。 He may have had a terrible childhood, but he should still be held accountable for his own actions. 他的童年也许是很不幸，但他仍然要为自己的行为负责。10  own STH 拥有某物 [transitive]OWN to officially own or possess money, a document, a company etc 持有，拥有〔金钱、证件、公司等〕 He holds shares in ICI. 他持有帝国化学工业集团的股份。 Do you hold a valid passport? 你持有有效护照吗？ a privately-held company 私有公司► see thesaurus at own11  contain a particular amount 容纳某一数量 [transitive not in progressive] to have the space to contain a particular amount of something 容纳 The movie theater holds 500 people. 这家电影院能容纳500人。 The tank should hold enough to last us a few days. 油箱应该可以存足够的油，让我们用上几天。12  support 支撑 [intransitive, transitive] to be strong enough to support the weight of something or someone 能承受，支撑〔重量〕 Careful! I’m not sure that branch will hold you. 小心！我觉得那根树枝承受不了你的重量。 The bridge didn’t look as though it would hold. 那座桥似乎要撑不住了。13  stay at same level 保持相同水平 [intransitive, transitive] to stay at a particular amount, level, or rate, or to make something do this （使）保持〔某种数量、水平或速度〕 The bank is holding interest rates at 4%. 银行将利率维持在4%。 Since then, the pound has held steady against the dollar. 从那时起，英镑对美元的汇率一直保持稳定。hold somebody’s interest/attention (=make someone stay interested) 使某人保持兴趣/注意力 Colourful pictures help hold the students’ interest. 色彩缤纷的图片有助于使学生保持兴趣。14  not change 不改变 [intransitive] to continue to be true, good, available etc 继续适用[有效] What I said yesterday holds. 我昨天说的仍然有效。 Does your invitation still hold? 你的邀请还算数吗？hold true/good Twenty years on, his advice still holds good. 过了二十年，他的建议依然适用。weather/luck holds (out) (=continues to be good) 天气/运气保持良好 If our luck holds, we could reach the final. 如果继续走运，我们有望进入决赛。15  stop/delay 停止/拖延 [transitive] spoken used in particular phrases to tell someone to wait or not to do something 〔用于某些短语中〕停止；别做〔某事〕 I’ll have a tuna fish sandwich please – and hold the mayo (=do not give me any). 请给我来一份金枪鱼三明治——不要蛋黄酱。hold it! Hold it! We’re not quite ready. 等等！我们还没准备好呢。hold your horses! (=used to tell someone to do something more slowly or carefully) 慢点！别急！16  hold your head up  (also hold your head high) to behave as if you are proud of yourself or respect yourself 抬起头来，不垂头丧气 They may have lost the game, but I still think they’ve earned the right to hold their heads high today. 他们也许是输掉了这场比赛，但我仍然认为今天他们有权利昂首挺胸。17  hold your breath a) to deliberately not breathe out for a short time 屏住呼吸 Hold your breath and count to ten. 屏住呼吸数到十。 b) to not breathe out and try not to make a sound because you do not want to be noticed 屏息静气 Julie shrank back against the wall and held her breath. 朱莉缩到墙边，屏住呼吸。 c) not hold your breath spoken used to say that you do not expect something to happen, even though someone has said it will 不指望某事发生 He promised he’d phone, but I’m not holding my breath. 他答应要打电话的，不过我可不指望他会打。18  hold (your) fire a) to not shoot at someone when you were going to 不开火 b) to not criticize, attack, or oppose someone when you were going to 不批评[攻击，反对]某人 The president urged his party to hold fire on the issue a few days longer. 总统敦促他的政党在这个问题上再忍耐几天，不要“开火”。19  telephone 电话 [intransitive] (also hold the line) spoken to wait until the person you have telephoned is ready to answer 不挂断电话（等着） Mr Stevens is busy at the moment – would you like to hold? 史蒂文斯先生现在正忙，你要等吗？ Please hold the line while I transfer you. 请稍等，我给您转接。20  army 军队 [transitive]DEFEND if an army holds a place, it controls it or defends it from attack 防守，保卫；〔用武力〕占据 The French army held the town for three days. 法军在这个镇防守了三天。21. musical note 音符 [transitive]APMCONTINUE/NOT STOP to make a musical note continue for a particular length of time 继续唱[奏]〔某音符〕22  future 未来 [transitive] formal if the future holds something, that is what may happen 〔未来〕发生 Thousands of workers are waiting to see what the future holds. 几千名工人对未来的局势拭目以待。23  have a quality 具有特质 [transitive] formal to have a particular quality 具备〔某种特质〕hold (little) interest/appeal/promise etc Many church services hold little appeal for modern tastes. 许多教堂的礼拜仪式对于现代人缺乏吸引力。24  hold your own (against somebody) GOOD ATto successfully defend yourself or succeed in a difficult situation, competition etc 〔在困境、比赛等中〕固守阵地，（与某人）针锋相对 He was a good enough player to hold his own against the Americans. 他是个优秀的球员，有足够的能力与美国人较量。25. not hold a candle to somebody/something to be much worse than someone or something else 远比不上某人/某物，无法与某人/某物相比26  be left holding the baby British English, be left holding the bag American English to be left as the only person responsible for dealing with a difficult situation, especially something someone else started 得独自收拾烂摊子 He was left holding the financial baby when his musical partner joined another band. 他的音乐搭档加入了另一支乐队，所以在经济上他不得不独力承担。27  hold sway to have a lot of influence or power 具有重大影响[权力] Among people here, traditional values still hold sway. 在这里的人中，传统的价值观仍占主导地位。28  hold court to get the attention of everyone while you are talking, especially when you are trying to entertain people 吸引所有人的注意力 Joey would walk into the bar and hold court all night. 乔伊进了酒吧就会成为人们整晚注意的焦点。29  hold your tongue  spoken used to tell someone to stop talking or to not tell someone about something 闭上嘴；保持沉默 I reckon you’ve just got to learn to hold your tongue. 我认为你要学会管好你的嘴巴。30  hold all the cards to have all the advantages in a situation in which people are competing or arguing 占绝对上风，占尽优势 ‘There’s not much we can do. They seem to hold all the cards, ’ said Dan gloomily. “我们没什么办法了，他们好像已经占了绝对优势。”丹沮丧地说。31. hold fast (to something) to keep believing strongly in something 坚信（某事）32. hold a conversation TALK TO somebodyto have a conversation 谈话，交谈33  hold the fort RESPONSIBLEto be responsible for something while the person usually responsible for it is not there 〔别人不在时〕代为处理事务 She’s holding the fort while the manager’s on holiday. 经理休假，她负责处理事务。34  hold the lead/advantage to be winning in a competition, game etc 〔在比赛等中〕领先 Celtic held the lead in the first half. 在上半场比赛中，凯尔特人队领先。35. there’s no holding somebody (back) spokenENTHUSIASTICENJOY/LIKE DOING something used to say that someone is so determined to do something that you cannot prevent them from doing it 无法阻止某人〔做某事〕36. can hold your drink/liquor/alcohol etc DRUNKto be able to drink a lot of alcohol without getting drunk or ill 酒量很大37. not hold water UNTRUEif an excuse, a statement etc does not hold water, it does not seem to be true or reasonable 〔借口、陈述等〕站不住脚，不可信38  hold something/somebody dear IMPORTANT formal to care about something or someone a lot 珍视某物/某人 We were facing the loss of everything we held dear. 我们面临着失去全部所爱的可能。39. hold the road TTCif a car holds the road well, you can drive it quickly around bends without losing control 〔汽车急转弯时〕抓地性能良好n40. hold that thought spoken used to tell someone to remember what has just been said and then continue discussing it or thinking about it later → hold a course at course1(8) THESAURUShold to have something in your hand, hands, or arms 握住，抓住；抱住Maria came in holding a letter. 玛丽亚手里拿着一封信走进来。Can I hold the baby? 我可以抱抱宝宝吗？grip to hold something very tightly and not let it go 紧握，紧抓He gripped her arm so she couldn’t walk away. 他紧紧抓住她的胳膊不让她走开。Jenny gripped the side of the boat to steady herself. 珍妮紧紧抓住船帮来稳住自己。clutch to hold something tightly, especially because you do not want to drop or lose it 紧握，紧抓〔尤因不想摔掉或失去某物〕A businessman hurried past, clutching his briefcase. 一个生意人手中紧抓着公文包匆匆走过。nThe little girl clutched onto his hand.clasp written to hold someone or something tightly, closing your fingers or arms around them 握紧；抱紧She was clasping a bunch of small summer flowers. 她紧紧握着一束夏天的小花。He clasped her in his arms and kissed her. 他将她紧紧搂在怀里亲吻她。get/take hold of something to take something in your hand or hands and hold it 抓住某物，握住某物I took hold of the handle and pulled as hard as I could. 我抓住把手狠命一拉。nQuickly – try and get hold of that frog!grasp written to take hold of something firmly, especially in a determined way 〔尤指坚决地〕握紧She grasped the lowest branch and pulled herself up into the tree. 她紧紧抓住最下面那根树枝，纵身一跃爬到树上。grab to take hold of something suddenly and often violently 攫取，抓住He grabbed my bag and ran off with it. 他抢过我的包就逃走了。nThe other man grabbed hold of (=suddenly took hold of ) my arms and threatened me with a knife.seize /siːz/ written to take hold of something suddenly and often violently 〔突然猛力地〕抓取，攫取A police officer ran after him and seized the gun. 一名警察在后面追他，并夺下他的枪。hang on (to something) to hold on to something or someone tightly to support yourself 紧紧抓住某物〔以免自己跌倒〕He hung on to the rail at the back of the motorbike. 他紧紧抓住摩托车的后扶手。nHang on tight!keep hold of something to continue to hold something 抓着某物Greg was struggling to keep hold of the dog. 格雷格拼命抓着那条狗不松手。nShe tried to take her hand away but he kept hold of it. PHRASAL VERBS41 hold something against somebody phrasal verb FORGIVEto continue to dislike someone or not forgive them because of something bad they have done in the past 〔因某事〕对〔某人〕怀恨在心，对〔某人〕有怨愤 You can’t still hold that against him, surely? 你不会还对他怀恨在心，是吧？42 hold back phrasal verb a) hold somebody/something ↔ backSTOP MOVING to make someone or something stop moving forward 阻挡[抑制]某人/某事物 Police in riot gear held back the demonstrators. 配有防暴装备的警察挡住了示威者。b) hold something ↔ backNOT DO something to stop yourself from feeling or showing a particular emotion 控制〔情感〕 She struggled to hold back her tears. 她竭力忍住眼泪。 Anger flooded through her. She couldn’t hold it back. 她怒火中烧，无法控制。c) hold somebody/something ↔ backPREVENT to prevent someone or something from making progress 阻碍某人/某事（的发展） They felt the British economy was being held back by excessive government controls. 他们感到，由于政府过度控制，英国的经济发展受到了阻碍。d) hold (somebody) backWILLING to be unwilling to do something, especially because you are being careful, or to make someone unwilling to do something 〔尤指因谨慎而〕（使）犹豫，踌躇 In the current situation many investors are holding back. 在目前形势下，许多投资者退缩了。 She wanted to tell him but pride held her back. 她想告诉他，可是自尊让她犹豫了。e) hold something ↔ backSECRET to keep something secret 隐瞒〔某事〕 Tell me all about it – don’t hold anything back! 把这事全部告诉我，什么都别隐瞒！43 hold somebody/something ↔ down phrasal verb a) to make someone or something stay on something, and stop them from moving away or escaping 控制；固定〔以防某物移走或某人逃脱〕 We had to hold the tent down with rocks to stop it blowing away. 我们只好用石块将帐篷压住免得被吹走。 It took three strong men to hold him down. 三个壮汉才制住了他。b) PREVENTCONTROLto prevent the level of something such as prices from rising 抑制〔价格等〕的上升 We will aim to hold down prices. 我们将力求抑制价格上涨。c) JOB/WORK hold down a job to succeed in keeping a job for a period of time 〔暂时〕保住工作[职位] He’s never held down a job for longer than a few weeks. 他从来没有把一份工作保住几周以上。d) CONTROLto keep people under control or limit their freedom 控制，压制 The people were held down for centuries by their conquerors. 这个民族被征服者压制了几个世纪。44 hold forth phrasal verb TALK TO somebodyto give your opinion on a subject, especially for a long time 〔尤指长篇大论地〕发表议论 on The speaker was holding forth on the collapse of modern society. 演说者正在就现代社会的崩溃大发议论。45 hold off phrasal verb a) WAITto delay doing something 拖延，推迟 Buyers have been holding off until the price falls. 买家们一直按兵不动，等待价格下跌。hold off (on) doing something Hold off making your decision until Monday. 等到星期一再作决定吧。b) hold somebody ↔ offDEFEND i. to prevent someone who is trying to attack or defeat you from succeeding 对抗某人，抵挡住某人 Not even a gun could hold him off forever. 即使用枪也不能永远挡住他。 ii. to prevent someone from coming towards you or succeeding in speaking to you 阻止某人靠近；阻止某人和你谈话 There’s already a crowd of reporters outside – I’ll try to hold them off for a while. 外面已经有一群记者了——我会想法挡住他们一会儿。c) DNif rain or bad weather holds off, it does not start, although it looked as if it would 〔雨、雪等〕延缓，迟迟不来 The rain held off until after the game. 这场雨直到比赛结束才开始下。46 hold on phrasal verb a) spoken i. WAITto wait for a short time 等会儿 Hold on, I’ll just get my coat. 等一等，我去拿外衣。 ii. SURPRISEDused when you have just noticed, heard, or remembered something interesting or wrong 等一下，等等〔表示注意到、听到或记起令人感兴趣或不妥的事〕 Hold on a minute! Isn’t that your brother’s car over there? 等一下！那边不是你兄弟的车吗？ iii. WAITused to ask someone on the telephone to wait until the person they want to talk to is available 别挂断电话 Can you hold on? I’ll try to find her. 请别挂好吗？我去找找她看。b) to have your hands or arms tightly around something 紧紧抓住[抱住] Hold on tight! 抓紧了！ to Hold on to my arm. 抓紧我的胳膊。c) CONTINUE/NOT STOPto continue doing something that is very difficult to do 坚持下去 San Francisco held on to win 4–2. 旧金山队顽强拼搏，以4比2赢了比赛。47 hold on to somebody/something phrasal verb KEEP/CONTINUE TO HAVEto keep something rather than losing it, selling it, or giving it to someone else 守住，保住 The soldiers held on to the bridge for three more days. 士兵们又把这座桥守了三天。 I think I’ll hold on to these old records for now. 我想我会暂时保留这些老唱片的。48 hold out phrasal verb a) HOPE hold out something to think or say that something is possible or likely to happen, especially something good 抱有希望；提供机会；使有可能not hold out much hope/hold out little hope Negotiators aren’t holding out much hope of a peaceful settlement. 谈判人员对和平解决并不抱很大希望。hold out the prospect/promise of something alternative methods which hold out the promise of improved health 可望改善健康状况的另类方法b) FINISH/USE ALL OF somethingif a supply of something holds out, there is still some left 〔供给品的〕维持，持续 Water supplies won’t hold out much longer. 供水维持不了多久了。c) DEFENDto continue to successfully defend a place that is being attacked 守住 The rebels held out for another night but then fresh forces arrived. 叛乱分子又守了一个晚上，但是接着增援部队到了。d) to try to prevent yourself from doing something that someone is trying to force you to do 坚持〔不做别人强迫之事〕 against I didn’t know how much longer I could hold out against their relentless questioning. 对于他们没完没了的盘问我不知道自己还能坚持多久。49 hold out for something phrasal verb ASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO somethingto not accept anything less than you have asked for 坚持要求 Transport workers are holding out for a 20% pay rise. 运输业工作者坚持要求加薪20%。50 hold out on somebody phrasal verb informal TELL A SECRETto not tell someone about something important 隐瞒〔重要事情〕 She must have been holding out on him all these years. 这些年来她肯定一直瞒着他。51 hold something over phrasal verb a) DELAY formal to do or deal with something at a later time 推迟，搁置 The matter was held over for further review. 这件事被搁置起来待进一步审议。n Grammar Hold over is usually passive in this meaning. → holdoverb) THREATEN hold something over somebody to use something bad that you know about someone to make them do what you want 以某事要挟某人 He knows I’ve been in prison and is holding it over me. 他知道我曾坐过牢，便以此要挟我。c) be held over especially American EnglishAMFCONTINUE/NOT STOPSUCCESSFUL if a play, film, concert etc is held over, it is shown for longer than planned because it is very popular 〔戏剧、电影、音乐会等因受欢迎〕公演时间被延长52 hold to something phrasal verb a) if you hold to a belief, principle, promise etc, you believe it or behave according to it 信奉〔信念、原则等〕；信守〔诺言〕 He admitted he did not hold to the traditional view of God. 他承认自己不认同对上帝的传统看法。b) PROMISE hold somebody to something to make someone do what they have promised 要求某人恪守诺言 ‘I’ll ask him tomorrow.’ ‘OK, but I’m going to hold you to that.’ “我明天问他。”“好吧，不过我要你说话算数。”c) hold somebody to something British EnglishDS to prevent your opponent in a sports game from getting more than a particular number of points 〔在体育比赛中〕不让对手超过〔某一得分〕 Norway held Holland to a 2–2 draw. 挪威队以2比2逼平荷兰队。53 hold together phrasal verb a) if a group or an organization holds together, or if something holds it together, it stays strong and does not separate into different parts or groups （使）团结，（使）不分裂 Against all expectations, the coalition held together well. 和各种预料截然相反，这个联盟很团结。hold something ↔ together In those days the church held the community together. 在那个年代，教会将社区团结在一起。b) GOOD ENOUGHto remain whole and good enough to use, or to make something do this （使）保持完好 Incredibly, the raft held together till we reached the opposite shore. 真令人难以置信，筏子一直把我们载到对岸还没散架。hold something ↔ together I wondered how the structure was held together. 我不知道这个结构是怎么结合在一起的。54 hold up phrasal verb a) SUPPORT/HOLD UP hold something ↔ up to support something and prevent it from falling down 支撑某物 The roof is held up by massive stone pillars. 屋顶是用几根粗大的石柱支撑住的。b) DELAY hold somebody/something ↔ up to delay someone or something 耽搁某人/阻延某事 Sorry I’m late – I was held up at work. 对不起我来晚了，我给工作耽搁了。n Grammar Hold up is often passive in this meaning.c) hold up somethingSTEAL to rob or try to rob a place or person by using violence （试图）抢劫 Two armed men held up a downtown liquor store last night. 昨晚两名持枪男子抢劫了市中心一家售酒的商店。 → hold-upd) SAMEto not become weaker 保持强壮 His physical condition has held up well. 他的身体保养得非常好。55 hold somebody/something up as something phrasal verb EXAMPLEto use someone or something as a good example or as proof of something 将…作为榜样[证明] The school is held up as a model for others. 这所学校被树为其他学校的榜样。 This incident will be held up as proof that tougher controls are needed. 该事件将作为需要采取更严格的控制措施的明证。56 hold with something phrasal verb AGREE not hold with something British English used to say that someone does not approve of something 不同意某事，反对某事 He says he doesn’t hold with all this politically correct stuff. 他说他并不赞成这些政治上正确的东西。not hold with doing something I don’t hold with hitting children in any circumstances. 在任何情况下我都不赞同打孩子。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

hold• Each carton holds 113 oranges.• Militant prisoners held 24 guards hostage on Friday, as jail unrest spread throughout the country.• No one knows where the kidnapped woman is being held.• She held a baby in her arms.• A smiling woman holding a can of beer came over to us.• In the photograph there was a small boy holding a flag.• No state yet to hold a primary has as many major media markets as Ohio.• She works for Le Monde, where the staff hold a significant stake in the company.• A blank data disk can hold about 360,000 characters.• Galvanized metal buckets, filled with ice, can hold beverages such as small bottles of ice tea, juices and water.• Twenty-four solar systems held by the enemy had recently been destroyed.• Several tourists were being held captive by rebels in Kashmir.• Lost items will be held for thirty days.• So she rode slowly through them, mostly holding her breath and praying that they wouldn't charge at her.• I held her until she went to sleep.• I held him under the spigot and squeezed his chest as the icy water ran over him.• I got the post office to hold our mail while we were on vacation.• I took a glass of champagne from the tray the waiter held out.• a situation in which a husband and wife both hold shares in a family company• IBM still holds shares in the new company.• I just want a shelf that will hold some plants.• Heat the stock in a pot large enough to hold the fish.• I held the money tightly in my hand.• The Van Gogh holds the world auction price record of $ 82.5m.• Plans are well advanced to hold two-day Workshops for staff of colleges invited to progress their Pilot Proposals to Stage 2.• Police are holding two men for questioning in connection with the robbery.• As long as the mild weather holds, you can keep planting.hold something in your hand/arms• He longed to be holding one in his hands.• The next moment he held Iphigenia in his arms.• I held him in my arms as he clutched at me, then relaxed, then shuddered into sleep.• If you hold it in your hands it gets warm.• One of us takes the tiniest moment and holds it in our hands, recalling it in all its particulars.• Cara held it in her hands, staring at it, unbelieving.• Was it because the man who held her in his arms was a confident and easy dancer?• Now she held it in her hand with the cross, a silent pleading for Rob's return.held talks with• The company also has held talks with Apple Computer about a technology sponsorship that could include kiosks at the facility.• On Feb. 21 Kravchuk held talks with opposition representatives on the possibility of forming a coalition government.• Councillors have already held talks with the town's bus operators with a view to reducing the number of vehicles using the centre.hold something in place/position• Bone, plastic, wood or pearl-handled cutlery Exposure to very hot water can soften the glue holding the handle in place.• I was also told that I have to put plywood on the ceiling to hold the tiles in place.• Impale each stack with a bamboo stick to hold the bales in place.• The former system involved the operative having to attach more than 20 bands at a time to hold a mould in position.• The nearby industry of the war years held the community in place.• A sturdy retaining wall will hold everything in place and you can use soil taken from other areas to fill in gaps.• It will need to have a ledge to support the reading material and strong clamps to hold pages in place are useful.• I held it in place, clutched at my side.hold the post/position/office etc (of something)• A Republican held the office of County Board president, easily second only to the office of mayor in political power.• He held the post during Milosevic's authoritarian rule.• He also holds the posts of Prime Minister and Defence Minister.• He currently holds the post of chief operating officer.• He has also held the position of factory manager.• In both cases Black might still be able to hold the position.• None of these men held the office over three months.• The Federals held the position nearer the coveted town.be widely/generally/commonly held• The belief that if you are over twenty-five you are too old is commonly held.• Scarman identified two views that were commonly held as to the causation of the disorders.• It was generally held on or about the feast day of the patron saint to whom the church was dedicated.• Informal briefings and seminars are generally held over the lunch-time period, which is only flexible for scientific and administrative staff.• But it is commonly held that Mind and Matter both have existence, separately, one from the other.• Thus it is commonly held that services are economic activities whose output is not a physical product.• In the city a bold and beautiful young man named Bellerophon was generally held to be his son.• Particular substances were commonly held to possess magical and even medical potential.privately-held• Most recently, he was chief executive officer of Cibus Pharmaceutical Inc., a privately held drugdelivery company.• Never having designed anything like this before Cusick privately held many worries about the cost and ease of manufacturing these props.• P., his privately held company, of $ 2 billion.• Pursue is a privately held energy company.• S., most timber is grown on privately held land and is sold at auction.• The privately held company, founded in 1989, is one of the fastest-growing technology startups.• Y., it remains privately held.held steady• Bonds held steady and the dollar rose against the yen.• Standard's market price held steady at 430p.• Unemployment held steady at a low 5. 6 percent in December, Labor Department figures showed today.• The tow held steady, but the weight of it was forcing him further and further off the wind.• To pick up the reflected signals, the cellphone has to be held steady for a few seconds, says Lubecke.• Exports had doubled from 1700 to 1740 to a value of £1,164,000 which generally held steady until the 1760s.hold true/good• In the event of a fuel pump failure the same reserve holds good.• If past experience holds true, about 10% of the injured will need immediate surgery.• The same trend holds true at the Capital Coin and Stamp Shop.• Some physicists argue that the need for an observer holds true even for such massive objects as the Moon.• The same holds true for all the other advice agencies in your area.• The same might hold true for every civilization.• What held good for Stoke Poges held good for the Western Isles.• The same holds true for the three P.wickerhamii introns.• But the Freudian maxim holds true: Laughter is just an expression of fear. hold it!• Hold it a minute! I've just had a really good idea.• Hold it! Sara just lost a contact lens.what the future holds• Hankin, as well as the players, press and supporters, do not know what the future holds.• It is important, however, to distinguish between the current situation and what the future holds.• Male speaker Because we don't know what the disorder is, we can't tell the family what the future holds.• They should settle with Clinton rather than gamble on what the future holds.• Tonight, we look at other memorable programmes from the archives and ask what the future holds?• Who knows what the future holds?• With the growth that seems likely over the next few years one can not help asking what the future holds.hold (little) interest/appeal/promise etc• For the moment Christmas on the slopes holds little promise.• But, for the most part, the news surely held little interest for her.• Richard Branson holds little appeal for them.• The models of the last 30 years hold little interest for those in Bird Land.• The Group now holds interests in 20 fields in production.• Carso holds interests in a wide range of industries, including mining, auto parts, cigarettes and retail.• Others hold interests in racetracks, which depend on political goodwill for additional racing dates.• Clark's work clearly holds promise of a new class of antimalarials, even though there is much still to be done.

Related topics: Other sports, Water

hold2 ●●● S2 W3 noun  1  holding STH 拿住某物 [singular]HOLD the action of holding something with your hands 抓住，拿住，握住 SYN griphold on She released her tight hold on the dog. 她松开被她紧紧牵着的狗。 He tightened his hold, refusing to let her go. 他抓得更紧了，不让她走。 Make sure you keep hold of my hand when we cross the road. 过马路时你一定要抓住我的手。 I took hold of her hand and gently led her away. 我抓住她的手，小心地带她离开。 Grab hold of the rope and pull yourself up. 抓住绳子爬上来。2  get hold of something  (also get a hold of something American English) to find or borrow something so that you can use it 找[借]来某物 I need to get hold of a car. 我得找一辆车。 She managed to get a hold of a copy. 她设法弄到了一本。3  get hold of somebody  (also get a hold of somebody American English) to find and speak to someone about something 找到某人，联系上某人 I must get hold of Vanessa to see if she can babysit. 我必须找到瓦妮莎，看看她能不能帮忙照看一下孩子。4  control/power 控制/力量 [singular] control, power, or influence over something or someone 控制，影响get/keep a hold on/of something He struggled to get a hold of his emotions. 他尽力控制住自己的情绪。 I’ve always kept a tight hold on our finances. 我一直牢牢控制着我们的经济收入。 I realized that the woman had a hold over my father. 我意识到那女人控制着我父亲。5  on hold TCTWAIT a) if something is on hold, it is going to be done or dealt with at a later date rather than now 推迟，使延期，搁置 The plans are on hold until after the election. 那些计划被推迟到选举以后。 Since having the kids, my career has been put on hold. 自从有了孩子，我的事业被搁置下来。 b) if you are on hold, you are waiting to talk to someone on the telephone 等着通电话 We try not to keep people on hold for more than a couple of minutes. 我们尽量不让打电话的人等候超过几分钟。 The agent put me on hold while she consulted a colleague. 经纪人让我等着，她去问一个同事。6  take (a) hold EFFECT/INFLUENCEto start to have a definite effect 开始起作用，产生影响 The fever was beginning to take hold. 发烧开始厉害起来。7  get hold of an idea/an impression/a story etc LEARNBELIEVEto learn or begin to believe something 得到[开始相信]某个想法/印象/说法等 Where on earth did you get hold of that idea? 你这想法到底是哪里来的？8. fight 打斗 [countable]DSO a particular position that you hold an opponent in, in a fight or a sport such as wrestling 〔摔跤等运动中的〕擒拿招式，擒拿技法9  climbing 攀爬 [countable]DSO somewhere you can put your hands or feet to help you climb something 支撑点；落脚点〔指攀爬时供手攀、脚踩之处〕 The cliff was steep and it was difficult to find a hold. 悬崖陡峭，很难找到攀踏的地方。10. ship 船只 [countable]TTW the part of a ship below the deck1(1) where goods are stored 底舱，货舱11  no holds barred LIMITwhen there are no rules or limits on what you are allowed to do 无规则的，无限制的，为所欲为的 It seems there are no holds barred when it comes to making a profit. 赚钱谋利似乎可以不择手段。n COLLOCATIONSadjectivesa tight/firm holdRose had a tight hold of her hand.verbstighten your holdMaria winced as Luke tightened his hold on her fingers.loosen/relax your holdLaughing, he loosened his hold until she could pull her arms free.release your hold (=stop holding something)As soon as his fingers released their hold, Robyn turned and ran.phraseskeep hold of something (=hold something without letting go)I had to run to keep hold of the leather strap.get/take hold of something (=start holding something)Wallace took hold of Fred’s jacket and pulled him roughly backwards.catch/grab/seize etc hold of something (=start holding something quickly and firmly)She grabbed hold of the letter and tore it open.have hold of something (=be holding something)Nathan had hold of her hand again.

Examples from the Corpus

hold• The cliff is steep and it's difficult to find a hold.• Bowman caught hold of the short lever fastened to the valve and with his last strength pulled it down.• In this form of wrestling there are a number of different holds, each used in a different situation.• And I think I just might try to get hold of Mark.• But when you get hold of the document and look at the detail you're in for a nasty surprise.• It was a bit late for that, since the press had got hold of the story anyway.• Here was a gravity you could argue with; here was a horizon close enough to reach out and grasp hold of.• Prevost asked me if I still had hold of my camera.• My mother relaxed, and loosened her hold on my hand.• Kara tightened her hold on the bat.• I tightened my hold on the child as we crossed the busy road.• Analysts say the company has a potential to become extremely profitable if the technology takes hold.• The wine Adrienne had kept passing to her was taking hold of an empty stomach.tight hold on• He had a tight hold on the audience, totally in command of his band.• He says you have to keep a tight hold on the nuts.• She would be keeping a tight hold on her feelings from now on.• Dominic crept carefully down the stairs, keeping a tight hold on the gleaming mahogany banister.• The purge reflects the party leadership's concern with keeping a tight hold on the political reins.• Keeping a tight hold on herself, she went in search of Helen and accepted with gratitude her invitation to lunch.get/keep a hold on/of something• If I could get hold of him, I'd kill him.• She wanted to know how she could get hold of that poem, and maybe that whole book.• He simply can not bear the thought of his hated enemy getting hold of young Adam.• Do you know if such a list exists and if so where I might get hold of it?• They are swiftly-moving animals and not easy to get hold of.• And I think I just might try to get hold of Mark.• How on earth did you get hold of this?From Longman Business Dictionaryholdhold1 /həʊldhoʊld/ verb (past tense and past participle held /held/)1[transitive]FINANCE if you hold an investment, you own itThe group holds billions of dollars of junk bonds.2[transitive]FINANCE to keep an investment, rather than sell itI don’t sell anything. I buy stocks to hold.3hold an interest/position/stake in somethingFINANCE to own part of company, asset etcThe company also holds a 25 percent interest in a German refinery.4hold a patentLAW to own a PATENT (=the right to profits from a product based on a new idea)Inventor Charles Fritz holds the patent to the Tripledge windshield wiper.5[transitive] to have a meetingThis year’s conference will be held in Brighton. 6[transitive] to keep supplies in a particular placeThe steel company holds stocks at the terminals in order to make just-in-time deliveries to local customers.7[transitive]FINANCE to keep a price or other amount at a particular levelThe bank is holding interest rates at 4%.8[intransitive]FINANCE to remain at the same levelSince then, the pound has held steady against the dollar.9hold (its) valueCOMMERCE if something holds value or holds its value, it does not lose its value, or it loses value more slowly than you might expectThe works of Magritte and Miro continue to hold their value at auctions despite the art-market slump.In an increasingly disposable society, luxury cars are one of the few items that hold value.10hold office if a political party holds office, it governs a country 11hold office to have an important job in the government or in a companyThe original directors of the company would hold office only for the first year of privatization.12hold a job/position/post etc formalJOB to have a particular jobShe has held the position of Chief Financial Officer for five years. → hold something → down → hold out for something → hold up→ See Verb tableholdhold2 noun [countable]1TRANSPORTthe part of a ship or plane where goods are stored for transportThe Mega Borg had 38 million gallons of crude in its hold.2COMMERCE if a company has a hold on a market or a large part of a market, it makes it difficult for others to competehold onThey thought they had a pretty good hold on the computer market.3FINANCE if someone says that an investment is a hold, they mean that people who have it should keep it and not sell it, but that they should not buy any more of itHe rates the stock a hold, but figures it ‘might go down before it goes up.’Origin hold1 Old English healdan hold2 1. → HOLD12. hole

hold1 verb →10-19 →20-29 →30-40
→n GRAMMAR1 →n GRAMMAR2 →THESAURUS1 →PHRASAL VERBS1hold2 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChinese  

to hand, Business your Corpus have in hands, something or arms

hold

I

hold¹ S1 W1 /həʊld $ hoʊld/ verb (past tense and past participle held /held/)
1.  IN YOUR HAND/ARMS
  a. [transitive] to have something in your hand, hands, or arms:
    Could you hold my bag for me?
    hold something in your hand/arms
    He was holding a knife in one hand.
    I held the baby in my arms.
    hold hands (=hold each other’s hands)
    They sat holding hands under a tree.
    hold somebody close/tightly (=with your arms around someone)
    Max held her close and wiped away her tears.
  b. [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to move your hand or something in your hand in a particular direction
    hold something out/up etc
    He held out his hand to help her to her feet.
    Hold the picture up so we can see it.
2.  EVENT  [transitive] to have a meeting, party, election etc in a particular place or at a particular time:
    This year’s conference will be held at the Hilton Hotel.
    A thanksgiving ceremony was held to mark the occasion.
    The funeral was held on a grey day in November.
    In April, the President held talks with Chinese leaders.
3.  KEEP SOMETHING IN POSITION  [transitive] to make something stay in a particular position
    hold something open/up etc
    We used rolled-up newspapers to hold the windows open.
    Remember to hold your head up and keep your back straight.
    hold something in place/position
    A couple of screws should hold it in place.
    Lift your head off the floor and hold this position for five seconds.
4.  JOB/TITLE  [transitive]
  a. to have a particular job or position, especially an important one:
    Do you really think he’s capable of holding such a responsible position?
    hold the post/position/office etc (of something)
    She was the first woman to hold the office of Australian state premier.
    The governor had held the post since 1989.
    Whoever is elected will hold office (=have an important political position) for four years.
  b. to have a particular title or record, because you have won a competition, are the best at something etc:
    The programme still holds the record for the longest running TV series.
    The last Briton to hold the title was Bert Nicholson.
5.  KEEP/STORE  [transitive] to keep something to be used when it is needed:
    Further copies of the book are held in the library.
    Weapons were held at various sites.
6.  KEEP SOMETHING AVAILABLE FOR SOMEBODY  [transitive] to agree not to give something such as a ticket, a place at a restaurant, a job etc to anyone except a particular person:
    We can hold the reservation for you until next Friday.
    hold something open
    You can’t expect them to hold the job open for much longer – you’ll have to decide whether you want it or not.
7.  KEEP SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE  [transitive] to keep someone somewhere, and not allow them to leave:
    Police are holding two men in connection with the robbery.
    hold somebody prisoner/hostage/captive
    A senior army officer was held hostage for four months.
    hold somebody incommunicado (=keep someone somewhere and not allow them to communicate with anyone)
8.  OPINION  [transitive not in progressive] to have a particular opinion or belief:
    Experts hold varying opinions as to the causes of the disease.
    be widely/generally/commonly held (=be the opinion of a lot of people)
    This view is not widely held.
    be held to be something
    She was held to be one of the most talented actors of her time.
    hold that
    The judge held that the child’s interests in this case must come first.
9. hold somebody responsible/accountable/liable (for something) to say or decide that someone should accept the responsibility for something bad that happens:
    If anything happens to her, I’ll hold you personally responsible.
    He may have had a terrible childhood, but he should still be held accountable for his own actions.
10.  OWN SOMETHING  [transitive] to officially own or possess money, a document, a company etc:
    He holds shares in ICI.
    Do you hold a valid passport?
    a privately held company
11.  CONTAIN A PARTICULAR AMOUNT  [transitive not in progressive] to have the space to contain a particular amount of something:
    The movie theater holds 500 people.
    The tank should hold enough to last us a few days.
12.  SUPPORT  [intransitive and transitive] to be strong enough to support the weight of something or someone:
    Careful__ I’m not sure that branch will hold you.
    The bridge didn’t look as though it would hold.
13.  STAY AT SAME LEVEL  [intransitive and transitive] to stay at a particular amount, level, or rate, or to make something do this:
    The bank is holding interest rates at 4%.
    Since then, the pound has held steady against the dollar.
    hold sb’s interest/attention (=make someone stay interested)
    Colourful pictures help hold the students’ interest.
14.  NOT CHANGE  [intransitive] to continue to be true, good, available etc:
    What I said yesterday holds.
    Does your invitation still hold?
    hold true/good
    Twenty years on, his advice still holds good.
    weather/luck holds (out) (=continues to be good)
    If our luck holds, we could reach the final.
15.  STOP/DELAY  [transitive] spoken used in particular phrases to tell someone to wait or not to do something:
    I’ll have a tuna fish sandwich please – and hold the mayo (=do not give me any).
    hold it__
    Hold it__ We’re not quite ready.
    hold your horses__ (=used to tell someone to do something more slowly or carefully)
16. hold your head up (also hold your head high) to behave as if you are proud of yourself or respect yourself:
    They may have lost the game, but I still think they’ve earned the right to hold their heads high today.
17. hold your breath
  a. to deliberately not breathe out for a short time:
    Hold your breath and count to ten.
  b. to not breathe out and try not to make a sound because you do not want to be noticed:
    Julie shrank back against the wall and held her breath.
  c. not hold your breath spoken used to say that you do not expect something to happen, even though someone has said it will:
    He promised he’d phone, but I’m not holding my breath.
18. hold (your) fire
  a. to not shoot at someone when you were going to
  b. to not criticize, attack, or oppose someone when you were going to:
    The President urged his party to hold fire on the issue a few days longer.
19.  TELEPHONE  [intransitive] (also hold the line) spoken to wait until the person you have telephoned is ready to answer:
    Mr Stevens is busy at the moment – would you like to hold?
    Please hold the line while I transfer you.
20.  ARMY  [transitive] if an army holds a place, it controls it or defends it from attack:
    The French army held the town for three days.
21.  MUSICAL NOTE  [transitive] to make a musical note continue for a particular length of time
22.  FUTURE  [transitive] formal if the future holds something, that is what may happen:
    Thousands of workers are waiting to see what the future holds.
23.  HAVE A QUALITY  [transitive] formal to have a particular quality
    hold (little) interest/appeal/promise etc
    Many church services hold little appeal for modern tastes.
24. hold your own (against somebody) to successfully defend yourself or succeed in a difficult situation, competition etc:
    He was a good enough player to hold his own against the Americans.
25. not hold a candle to somebody/something to be much worse than someone or something else
26. be left holding the baby British English, be left holding the bag American English to be left as the only person responsible for dealing with a difficult situation, especially something someone else started:
    He was left holding the financial baby when his musical partner joined another band.
27. hold sway to have a lot of influence or power:
    Among people here, traditional values still hold sway.
28. hold court to get the attention of everyone while you are talking, especially when you are trying to entertain people:
    Joey would walk into the bar and hold court all night.
29. hold your tongue spoken used to tell someone to stop talking or to not tell someone about something:
    I reckon you’ve just got to learn to hold your tongue.
30. hold all the cards to have all the advantages in a situation in which people are competing or arguing:
    ‘There’s not much we can do. They seem to hold all the cards,’ said Dan gloomily.
31. hold fast (to something) to keep believing strongly in something
32. hold a conversation to have a conversation
33. hold the fort to be responsible for something while the person usually responsible for it is not there:
    She’s holding the fort while the manager’s on holiday.
34. hold the lead/advantage to be winning in a competition, game etc:
    Celtic held the lead in the first half.
35. there’s no holding somebody (back) spoken used to say that someone is so determined to do something that you cannot prevent them from doing it
36. can hold your drink/liquor/alcohol etc to be able to drink a lot of alcohol without getting drunk or ill
37. not hold water if an excuse, a statement etc does not hold water, it does not seem to be true or reasonable
38. hold something/somebody dear formal to care about something or someone a lot:
    We were facing the loss of everything we held dear.
39. hold the road if a car holds the road well, you can drive it quickly around bends without losing control
⇨ hold a course at course¹(8)
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ hold to have something in your hand, hands, or arms: Maria came in holding a letter. | Can I hold the baby?
   ▪ grip to hold something very tightly and not let it go: He gripped her arm so she couldn’t walk away. | Jenny gripped the side of the boat to steady herself.
   ▪ clutch to hold something tightly, especially because you do not want to drop or lose it: A businessman hurried past, clutching his briefcase. | The little girl clutched onto his hand.
   ▪ clasp written to hold someone or something tightly, closing your fingers or arms around them: She was clasping a bunch of small summer flowers. | He clasped her in his arms and kissed her.
   ▪ get/take hold of something to take something in your hand or hands and hold it: I took hold of the handle and pulled as hard as I could. | Quickly – try and get hold of that frog__
   ▪ grasp written to take hold of something firmly, especially in a determined way: She grasped the lowest branch and pulled herself up into the tree.
   ▪ grab to take hold of something suddenly and often violently: He grabbed my bag and ran off with it. | The other man grabbed hold of (=suddenly took hold of ) my arms and threatened me with a knife.
   ▪ seize /siːz/ written to take hold of something suddenly and often violently: A police officer ran after him and seized the gun.
   ▪ hang on (to something) to hold on to something or someone tightly to support yourself: He hung on to the rail at the back of the motorbike. | Hang on tight__
   ▪ keep hold of something to continue to hold something: Greg was struggling to keep hold of the dog. | She tried to take her hand away but he kept hold of it.
     
hold something against somebody phrasal verb
  to continue to dislike someone or not forgive them because of something bad they have done in the past:
    You can’t still hold that against him, surely?
hold back phrasal verb
  1. hold somebody/something ↔ back to make someone or something stop moving forward:
    Police in riot gear held back the demonstrators.
  2. hold something ↔ back to stop yourself from feeling or showing a particular emotion:
    She struggled to hold back her tears.
    Anger flooded through her. She couldn’t hold it back.
  3. hold somebody/something ↔ back to prevent someone or something from making progress:
    They felt the British economy was being held back by excessive government controls.
  4. hold (somebody) back to be unwilling to do something, especially because you are being careful, or to make someone unwilling to do something:
    In the current situation many investors are holding back.
    She wanted to tell him but pride held her back.
  5. hold something ↔ back to keep something secret:
    Tell me all about it – don’t hold anything back__
hold somebody/something ↔ down phrasal verb
  1. to make someone or something stay on something, and stop them from moving away or escaping:
    We had to hold the tent down with rocks to stop it blowing away.
    It took three strong men to hold him down.
  2. to prevent the level of something such as prices from rising:
    We will aim to hold down prices.
  3. hold down a job to succeed in keeping a job for a period of time:
    He’s never held down a job for longer than a few weeks.
  4. to keep people under control or limit their freedom:
    The people were held down for centuries by their conquerors.
hold forth phrasal verb
  to give your opinion on a subject, especially for a long time
    hold forth on
    The speaker was holding forth on the collapse of modern society.
hold off phrasal verb
  1. to delay doing something:
    Buyers have been holding off until the price falls.
    hold off (on) doing something
    Hold off making your decision until Monday.
  2. hold somebody ↔ off
  a. to prevent someone who is trying to attack or defeat you from succeeding:
    Not even a gun could hold him off forever.
  b. to prevent someone from coming towards you or succeeding in speaking to you:
    There’s already a crowd of reporters outside – I’ll try to hold them off for a while.
  3. if rain or bad weather holds off, it does not start, although it looked as if it would:
    The rain held off until after the game.
hold on phrasal verb
  1. spoken
  a. to wait for a short time:
    Hold on, I’ll just get my coat.
  b. used when you have just noticed, heard, or remembered something interesting or wrong:
    Hold on a minute__ Isn’t that your brother’s car over there?
  c. used to ask someone on the telephone to wait until the person they want to talk to is available:
    Can you hold on? I’ll try to find her.
  2. to have your hands or arms tightly around something:
    Hold on tight__
    hold on to
    Hold on to my arm.
  3. to continue doing something that is very difficult to do:
    San Francisco held on to win 4–2.
hold on to somebody/something phrasal verb
  to keep something rather than losing it, selling it, or giving it to someone else:
    The soldiers held on to the bridge for three more days.
    I think I’ll hold on to these old records for now.
hold out phrasal verb
  1. hold out something to think or say that something is possible or likely to happen, especially something good
    not hold out much hope/hold out little hope
    Negotiators aren’t holding out much hope of a peaceful settlement.
    hold out the prospect/promise of something
    alternative methods which hold out the promise of improved health
  2. if a supply of something holds out, there is still some left:
    Water supplies won’t hold out much longer.
  3. to continue to successfully defend a place that is being attacked:
    The rebels held out for another night but then fresh forces arrived.
  4. to try to prevent yourself from doing something that someone is trying to force you to do
    hold out against
    I didn’t know how much longer I could hold out against their relentless questioning.
hold out for something phrasal verb
  to not accept anything less than you have asked for:
    Transport workers are holding out for a 20% pay rise.
hold out on somebody phrasal verb informal
  to not tell someone about something important:
    She must have been holding out on him all these years.
hold something over phrasal verb
  1. [usually passive] formal to do or deal with something at a later time:
    The matter was held over for further review. ⇨ holdover
  2. hold something over somebody to use something bad that you know about someone to make them do what you want:
    He knows I’ve been in prison and is holding it over me.
  3. be held over especially American English if a play, film, concert etc is held over, it is shown for longer than planned because it is very popular
hold to something phrasal verb
  1. if you hold to a belief, principle, promise etc, you believe it or behave according to it:
    He admitted he did not hold to the traditional view of God.
  2. hold somebody to something to make someone do what they have promised:
    ‘I’ll ask him tomorrow.’ ‘OK, but I’m going to hold you to that.’
  3. hold somebody to something British English to prevent your opponent in a sports game from getting more than a particular number of points:
    Norway held Holland to a 2–2 draw.
hold together phrasal verb
  1. if a group or an organization holds together, or if something holds it together, it stays strong and does not separate into different parts or groups:
    Against all expectations, the coalition held together well.
    hold something ↔ together
    In those days the Church held the community together.
  2. to remain whole and good enough to use, or to make something do this:
    Incredibly, the raft held together till we reached the opposite shore.
    hold something ↔ together
    I wondered how the structure was held together.
hold up phrasal verb
  1. hold something ↔ up to support something and prevent it from falling down:
    The roof is held up by massive stone pillars.
  2. hold somebody/something ↔ up [usually passive] to delay someone or something:
    Sorry I’m late – I was held up at work.
  3. hold up something to rob or try to rob a place or person by using violence:
    Two armed men held up a downtown liquor store last night. ⇨ hold-up
  4. to not become weaker:
    His physical condition has held up well.
hold somebody/something up as something phrasal verb
  to use someone or something as a good example or as proof of something:
    The school is held up as a model for others.
    This incident will be held up as proof that tougher controls are needed.
hold with something phrasal verb
  not hold with something.British English used to say that someone does not approve of something:
    He says he doesn’t hold with all this politically correct stuff.
    not hold with doing something
    I don’t hold with hitting children in any circumstances.

II

hold² S2 W3 noun1.  HOLDING SOMETHING  [singular] the action of holding something with your hands
   SYN  grip
    hold on
    She released her tight hold on the dog.
    He tightened his hold, refusing to let her go.
    Make sure you keep hold of my hand when we cross the road.
    I took hold of her hand and gently led her away.
    Grab hold of the rope and pull yourself up.
2. get hold of something (also get a hold of something American English) to find or borrow something so that you can use it:
    I need to get hold of a car.
    She managed to get a hold of a copy.
3. get hold of somebody (also get a hold of somebody American English) to find and speak to someone about something:
    I must get hold of Vanessa to see if she can babysit.
4.  CONTROL/POWER  [singular] control, power, or influence over something or someone
    get/keep a hold on/of something
    He struggled to get a hold of his emotions.
    I’ve always kept a tight hold on our finances.
    I realized that the woman had a hold over my father.
5. on hold
  a. if something is on hold, it is going to be done or dealt with at a later date rather than now:
    The plans are on hold until after the election.
    Since having the kids, my career has been put on hold.
  b. if you are on hold, you are waiting to talk to someone on the telephone:
    We try not to keep people on hold for more than a couple of minutes.
    The agent put me on hold while she consulted a colleague.
6. take (a) hold to start to have a definite effect:
    The fever was beginning to take hold.
7. get hold of an idea/an impression/a story etc to learn or begin to believe something:
    Where on earth did you get hold of that idea?
8.  FIGHT  [countable] a particular position that you hold an opponent in, in a fight or a sport such as wrestling
9.  CLIMBING  [countable] somewhere you can put your hands or feet to help you climb something:
    The cliff was steep and it was difficult to find a hold.
10.  SHIP  [countable] the part of a ship below the deck¹(1) where goods are stored
11. no holds barred when there are no rules or limits on what you are allowed to do:
    It seems there are no holds barred when it comes to making a profit.
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ adjectives
   ▪ a tight/firm hold Rose had a tight hold of her hand.
■ verbs
   ▪ tighten your hold Maria winced as Luke tightened his hold on her fingers.
   ▪ loosen/relax your hold Laughing, he loosened his hold until she could pull her arms free.
   ▪ release your hold (=stop holding something) As soon as his fingers released their hold, Robyn turned and ran.
■ phrases
   ▪ keep hold of something (=hold something without letting go) I had to run to keep hold of the leather strap.
   ▪ get/take hold of something (=start holding something) Wallace took hold of Fred’s jacket and pulled him roughly backwards.
   ▪ catch/grab/seize etc hold of something (=start holding something quickly and firmly) She grabbed hold of the letter and tore it open.
   ▪ have hold of something (=be holding something) Nathan had hold of her hand again.