hold
Explore definitions, synonyms, and language insights of hold
Definitions
                    Noun
                    
                the act of grasping; "he released his clasp on my arm"; "he has a strong grip for an old man"; "she kept a firm hold on the railing"
                
                    Noun
                    
                understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something; "he has a good grasp of accounting practices"
                
                    Noun
                    
                power by which something or someone is affected or dominated; "he has a hold over them"
                
                    Noun
                    
                time during which some action is awaited; "instant replay caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the action"
                
                    Noun
                    
                a state of being confined (usually for a short time); "his detention was politically motivated"; "the prisoner is on hold"; "he is in the custody of police"
                
                    Noun
                    
                a stronghold
                
                    Noun
                    
                a cell in a jail or prison
                
                    Noun
                    
                the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it; "he grabbed the hammer by the handle"; "it was an old briefcase but it still had a good grip"
                
                    Noun
                    
                the space in a ship or aircraft for storing cargo
                
                    Verb
                    
                keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep clean"; "hold in place"; "She always held herself as a lady"; "The students keep me on my toes"
                
                    Verb
                    
                have or hold in one''s hands or grip; "Hold this bowl for a moment, please"; "A crazy idea took hold of him"
                
                    Verb
                    
                organize or be responsible for; "hold a reception"; "have, throw, or make a party"; "give a course"
                
                    Verb
                    
                have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense; "She has $1,000 in the bank"; "He has got two beautiful daughters"; "She holds a Master''s degree from Harvard"
                
                    Verb
                    
                keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view; "take for granted"; "view as important"; "hold these truths to be self-evident"; "I hold him personally responsible"
                
                    Verb
                    
                maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings); "bear a grudge"; "entertain interesting notions"; "harbor a resentment"
                
                    Verb
                    
                to close within bounds, limit or hold back from movement; "This holds the local until the express passengers change trains"; "About a dozen animals were held inside the stockade"; "The illegal immigrants were held at a detention center"; "The terrorists held the journalists for ransom"
                
                    Verb
                    
                secure and keep for possible future use or application; "The landlord retained the security deposit"; "I reserve the right to disagree"
                
                    Verb
                    
                have rightfully; of rights, titles, and offices; "She bears the title of Duchess"; "He held the governorship for almost a decade"
                
                    Verb
                    
                be the physical support of; carry the weight of; "The beam holds up the roof"; "He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam"; "What''s holding that mirror?"
                
                    Verb
                    
                contain or hold; have within; "The jar carries wine"; "The canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water"
                
                    Verb
                    
                have room for; hold without crowding; "This hotel can accommodate 250 guests"; "The theater admits 300 people"; "The auditorium can''t hold more than 500 people"
                
                    Verb
                    
                remain in a certain state, position, or condition; "The weather held"; "They held on the road and kept marching"
                
                    Verb
                    
                support or hold in a certain manner; "She holds her head high"; "He carried himself upright"
                
                    Verb
                    
                be valid, applicable, or true; "This theory still holds"
                
                    Verb
                    
                assert or affirm; "Rousseau''s philosophy holds that people are inherently good"
                
                    Verb
                    
                have as a major characteristic; "The novel holds many surprises"; "The book holds in store much valuable advise"
                
                    Verb
                    
                be capable of holding or containing; "This box won''t take all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon"
                
                    Verb
                    
                arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance; "reserve me a seat on a flight"; "The agent booked tickets to the show for the whole family"; "please hold a table at Maxim''s"
                
                    Verb
                    
                protect against a challenge or attack; "Hold that position behind the trees!"; "Hold the bridge against the enemy''s attacks"
                
                    Verb
                    
                bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted; "He''s held by a contract"; "I''ll hold you by your promise"
                
                    Verb
                    
                hold the attention of; "The soprano held the audience"; "This story held our interest"; "She can hold an audience spellbound"
                
                    Verb
                    
                remain committed to; "I hold to these ideas"
                
                    Verb
                    
                resist or confront with resistance; "The politician defied public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held"
                
                    Verb
                    
                be pertinent or relevant or applicable; "The same laws apply to you!"; "This theory holds for all irrational numbers"; "The same rules go for everyone"
                
                    Verb
                    
                stop dealing with; "hold all calls to the President''s office while he is in a meeting"
                
                    Verb
                    
                lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger"
                
                    Verb
                    
                keep from departing; "Hold the taxi"; "Hold the horse"
                
                    Verb
                    
                take and maintain control over, often by violent means; "The dissatisfied students held the President''s office for almost a week"
                
                    Verb
                    
                cause to stop; "Halt the engines"; "Arrest the progress"; "halt the presses"
                
                    Verb
                    
                cover as for protection against noise or smell; "She held her ears when the jackhammer started to operate"; "hold one''s nose"
                
                    Verb
                    
                drink alcohol without showing ill effects; "He can hold his liquor"; "he had drunk more than he could carry"
                
                    Verb
                    
                aim, point, or direct; "Hold the fire extinguisher directly on the flames"
                
                    Verb
                    
                declare to be; "She was declared incompetent"; "judge held that the defendant was innocent"
                
                    Verb
                    
                be in accord; be in agreement; "We agreed on the terms of the settlement"; "I can''t agree with you!"; "I hold with those who say life is sacred"; "Both philosophers concord on this point"
                
                    Verb
                    
            keep from exhaling or expelling; "hold your breath"
                Synonyms
                    accommodate
                    adjudge
                    admit
                    agree
                    apply
                    appreciation
                    arrest
                    bear
                    bind
                    book
                    cargo area
                    cargo deck
                    cargo hold
                    carry
                    check
                    clasp
                    clench
                    clutch
                    clutches
                    concord
                    concur
                    confine
                    contain
                    control
                    curb
                    custody
                    declare
                    deem
                    defend
                    defy
                    delay
                    detainment
                    detention
                    entertain
                    give
                    go for
                    grasp
                    grip
                    guard
                    halt
                    handgrip
                    handle
                    harbor
                    harbour
                    have
                    have got
                    hold back
                    hold in
                    hold up
                    keep
                    keep back
                    maintain
                    make
                    moderate
                    nurse
                    obligate
                    oblige
                    obtain
                    postponement
                    prevail
                    reserve
                    restrain
                    retain
                    storage area
                    support
                    sustain
                    take
                    take for
                    take hold
                    throw
                    time lag
                    view as
                    wait
                    withstand
            
            More General Terms
                    affirm
                    aim
                    appendage
                    apprehension
                    assert
                    aver
                    avow
                    be
                    bear on
                    becharm
                    beguile
                    believe
                    bespeak
                    bewitch
                    booze
                    break
                    call for
                    captivate
                    capture
                    catch
                    cell
                    charm
                    come to
                    command
                    conceive
                    concern
                    confinement
                    consider
                    continue
                    control
                    cover
                    defer
                    direct
                    disable
                    discernment
                    disenable
                    drink
                    enamor
                    enamour
                    enchant
                    enclosure
                    entrance
                    evaluate
                    exist
                    experience
                    fascinate
                    fastness
                    feel
                    fuddle
                    go along
                    go on
                    grasping
                    have
                    have got
                    have-to doe with
                    hold
                    hold back
                    hold on
                    hold out
                    hold over
                    incapacitate
                    include
                    intermission
                    interruption
                    jail cell
                    judge
                    keep
                    keep back
                    pass judgment
                    pause
                    pertain
                    postpone
                    prehension
                    prevent
                    prison cell
                    proceed
                    prorogue
                    protect
                    put off
                    put over
                    quest
                    reckon
                    refer
                    regard
                    relate
                    remit
                    request
                    resist
                    restrain
                    savvy
                    see
                    seizing
                    set back
                    shelve
                    stand firm
                    stop
                    stronghold
                    suspension
                    swan
                    swear
                    table
                    take
                    take aim
                    taking hold
                    think
                    touch
                    touch on
                    train
                    trance
                    understanding
                    verify
                    view
                    withstand
            
            More Specific Terms
                    abnegate
                    acknowledge
                    acquit
                    admit
                    arrange
                    article
                    ax handle
                    axe handle
                    balance
                    bastardise
                    bastardize
                    bate
                    bear
                    bear on
                    beatify
                    behave
                    bind
                    block
                    bound
                    brace
                    bracket
                    brave
                    brave out
                    broom handle
                    broomstick
                    buoy
                    buoy up
                    call
                    cancel
                    canonise
                    canonize
                    carry
                    carry on
                    catch
                    certify
                    chock
                    choke hold
                    chokehold
                    clinch
                    cling to
                    clutch
                    comport
                    concede
                    conciliate
                    conclude
                    conduct
                    confine
                    conquer
                    conserve
                    continue
                    counteract
                    countercheck
                    cradle
                    crop
                    crucify
                    curb
                    damp
                    deny
                    deport
                    distance
                    embrace
                    embracement
                    embracing
                    enchain
                    enclose
                    endure
                    exert
                    extension
                    fetter
                    fix up
                    fold
                    formalise
                    formalize
                    grant
                    grasp
                    ground
                    gunstock
                    haft
                    helve
                    hilt
                    hoe handle
                    hold
                    hold close
                    hold down
                    hold in
                    hold on
                    hold open
                    hold over
                    hold tight
                    house
                    housekeep
                    impound
                    indent
                    indenture
                    inhibit
                    interlace
                    interlock
                    judge
                    keep
                    keep open
                    knob
                    label
                    limit
                    lock
                    maintain
                    make up
                    monopolise
                    monopolize
                    mop handle
                    moratorium
                    mortify
                    panhandle
                    patch up
                    pen up
                    piggyback
                    pinion
                    pledge
                    poise
                    pole
                    pommel
                    pound
                    pound up
                    preserve
                    pressurise
                    pressurize
                    pronounce
                    prop
                    prop up
                    rake handle
                    reconcile
                    resolve
                    restrain
                    restrict
                    retain
                    retardation
                    saddlebow
                    saint
                    save
                    scaffold
                    seat
                    see eye to eye
                    sense
                    settle
                    shackle
                    shore
                    shore up
                    sleep
                    sling
                    stamp down
                    stock
                    stockpile
                    stoop
                    strike down
                    subdue
                    subscribe
                    superannuate
                    support
                    suppress
                    sustain
                    thermostat
                    throttle
                    tie down
                    tie up
                    train
                    trammel
                    trap
                    truss
                    underpin
                    uphold
                    weather
                    wield
                    wrestling hold
                    yield