hold
hold
Pronunciation
hold: /hoʊld/
Syllable 1: hold
/h/ - voiceless glottal fricative
/oʊ/ - diphthong (starts with a mid-back rounded vowel, moves towards a high-back rounded vowel)
/l/ - alveolar lateral approximant
/d/ - voiced alveolar plosive
Word Form Variations
Verb:
Base form: hold
Third-person singular present: holds
Present participle: holding
Past tense: held
Past participle: held
Noun:
Singular: hold
Plural: holds
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
To grasp or keep something in one's hand or arms; to maintain physical possession of.
Synonyms: grip, clasp, clutch, retain, possess
Antonyms: release, drop, let go, relinquish
To support or bear the weight of something; to prevent from falling.
Synonyms: support, bear, sustain, prop up, stabilize
Antonyms: drop, collapse, give way, fail
To contain or have the capacity for; to accommodate.
Synonyms: contain, accommodate, house, enclose, comprise
Antonyms: exclude, omit, lack, empty
To conduct, convene, or carry out (an event, meeting, or office).
Synonyms: conduct, convene, organize, manage, preside over
Antonyms: cancel, postpone, abandon, dissolve
To believe or adhere to (an opinion, belief, or principle).
Synonyms: believe, maintain, assert, adhere to, subscribe to
Antonyms: disbelieve, reject, abandon, refute
To keep someone or something in a particular state or position.
Synonyms: keep, maintain, preserve, retain, constrain
Antonyms: change, alter, release, free
Noun
A grasp, grip, or act of holding onto something.
Synonyms: grip, grasp, clasp, clutch, purchase
Antonyms: release, slip, looseness
An influence or power over someone or something.
Synonyms: influence, power, control, sway, dominance
Antonyms: weakness, impotence, surrender, submission
The interior cargo space of a ship or aircraft.
Synonyms: cargo hold, storage, compartment, bay
Antonyms: deck, cabin (in the sense of passenger area)
A pause or delay.
Synonyms: delay, pause, wait, stoppage, interruption
Antonyms: continuation, advance, progress, haste
Examples of Use
Books:
"He tried to hold back the tears, but they came anyway, hot and stinging." (Example from a fictional novel, general usage)
"The old man's stories had a powerful hold over the children, who listened with rapt attention." (Metaphorical noun usage, describing influence)
"The government decided to hold a referendum on the controversial new policy." (Verb usage, meaning to conduct)
Newspapers:
"Local authorities are urging residents to hold steady as the hurricane approaches." ( The Daily Herald, Verb usage, meaning to remain firm)
"The central bank chose to hold interest rates, despite calls for a cut." (Financial Times, Verb usage, meaning to maintain or keep unchanged)
"Police are currently taking a suspect into hold for questioning in connection with the recent robbery." ( News Express, Noun usage, referring to custody)
Online Publications:
"How to Hold a Plank for Longer: Tips from Fitness Experts." ( WellandGood.com, Verb usage, referring to maintaining a physical position)
"Tech giants continue to hold a significant market share in the booming AI industry." ( TechCrunch.com, Verb usage, meaning to possess or control)
"In a new blog post, the author states, 'It's important to hold onto your dreams, no matter how distant they may seem.'" (Medium.com, Verb usage, meaning to retain or cherish)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film Dialogue: "Just hold on a minute, I think I hear something." (Common line in thrillers or suspense films, meaning to wait or pause)
Song Lyrics: "You got a hold on me, I can't break free." (From a popular song, noun usage, referring to control or influence)
Video Game Instruction: "Press 'X' to hold your breath underwater." (On-screen prompt in an adventure game, verb usage, meaning to stop an action)
Podcast Discussion: "We will hold an open Q&A session at the end of the episode." (The Curious Mind Podcast, July 2, 2025, Verb usage, meaning to conduct)
Social Media Post: "Trying to hold it together after that emotional season finale!" (Tweet on X, formerly Twitter, July 1, 2025, Verb usage, meaning to maintain composure)
General Public Discourse:
"Can you hold the door for me?" (Everyday request, verb usage, meaning to keep open)
"I need to put this call on hold for a moment." (Common phrase in phone conversations, noun usage, referring to a temporary interruption)
"They've got a pretty strong hold on the local real estate market." (Conversational usage, noun, referring to control)
"Let's hold off on making a decision until we have all the facts." (Informal suggestion, verb usage, meaning to delay or postpone)
"Just hold your horses, we'll get there eventually." (Informal idiom, meaning to be patient)
10 Famous Quotes Using Hold
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly." (Langston Hughes, "Dreams")
"The best way to hold a man is in your arms." (Mae West)
"We must hold to the old landmarks and to the old paths, and keep the ancient faith." (Billy Graham)
"You must hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you." (Henry Ward Beecher)
"A man who is a master of patience is master of everything else. He will hold his temper, restrain his tongue, and control his passions." (George Eliot)
"If you want to hold a man, you have to let him go." (Chinese Proverb)
"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical." (Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Madison)
"To hold a pen is to be at war." (Voltaire)
"Hold yourself to a higher standard." (Unknown, commonly attributed to various motivational speakers)
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. So hold on to your dreams." (Eleanor Roosevelt)
Etymology
The word "hold" has a long and interesting history, tracing its roots back to ancient Germanic languages.
The earliest known uses of "hold" as a verb appeared in Old English (before 1150 AD). At that time, it had a very broad range of meanings, much like it does today! Some of its first meanings included:
To contain or grasp: Imagine literally holding something in your hand.
To retain: Keeping something, like a liquid in a container.
To observe or fulfill: Like holding to a custom or a promise.
To possess or control: Having something as your own, or ruling over something.
To detain or lock up: Keeping someone in custody.
To foster or cherish: Watching over something carefully, almost like tending to livestock.
It's believed that the original meaning in Proto-Germanic (the ancestor of English and many other Germanic languages) might have been related to "to keep, tend, or watch over," particularly in the sense of tending grazing cattle. This idea of "keeping" or "having" then evolved into all the other meanings we see today.
The noun form of "hold" also appeared in Old English, around the same time as the verb, and initially meant "keeping, custody, or guard."
So, in simple terms, "hold" started off as a very versatile word meaning to physically grasp, contain, or keep something, and also to have control or possession over it. Over hundreds of years, it kept these core meanings and added many more related ones, making it one of the most common and flexible words in the English language!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Hold
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "hold":
Hold on: To wait, to maintain a grip, or to persevere.
Hold up: To delay, to sustain, or to rob (as in a bank hold-up).
Hold back: To restrain oneself or something, or to conceal information.
Hold down: To suppress, to keep a job, or to restrain physically.
Hold off: To delay, to keep at a distance, or to postpone.
Hold out: To resist, to extend an offer, or to last.
Hold over: To postpone, or to exert influence over someone.
Hold forth: To speak at length, often in a lecturing manner.
Hold your horses: To wait or be patient.
Hold the line: To maintain a position, especially in a difficult situation.
Hold a grudge: To remain angry or resentful about something.
Hold your tongue: To refrain from speaking.
Hold water: To be sound or logical (usually used in the negative: "that argument doesn't hold water").
Hold dear: To value highly.
Hold in contempt: To view with scorn or disrespect.
Hold captive: To keep someone prisoner.
Hold your breath: To stop breathing for a short period, or to wait anxiously.
Hold all the cards: To be in a powerful or advantageous position.
Hold the fort: To take care of things temporarily.
Hold to ransom: To demand money or concessions in exchange for something or someone.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of hold from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
