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
the space in a ship or aircraft for storing cargo

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
a cell in a jail or prison

Noun
a stronghold

Noun
power by which something or someone is affected or dominated; "he has a hold over them"

Noun
understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something; "he has a good grasp of accounting practices"

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
time during which some action is awaited; "instant replay caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the action"

Verb
keep from exhaling or expelling; "hold your breath"

Verb
remain committed to; "I hold to these ideas"

Verb
assert or affirm; "Rousseau''s philosophy holds that people are inherently good"

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
hold the attention of; "The soprano held the audience"; "This story held our interest"; "She can hold an audience spellbound"

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
declare to be; "She was declared incompetent"; "judge held that the defendant was innocent"

Verb
bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted; "He''s held by a contract"; "I''ll hold you by your promise"

Verb
protect against a challenge or attack; "Hold that position behind the trees!"; "Hold the bridge against the enemy''s attacks"

Verb
aim, point, or direct; "Hold the fire extinguisher directly on the flames"

Verb
drink alcohol without showing ill effects; "He can hold his liquor"; "he had drunk more than he could carry"

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
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
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 h

Verb
cover as for protection against noise or smell; "She held her ears when the jackhammer started to operate"; "hold one''s nose"

Verb
support or hold in a certain manner; "She holds her head high"; "He carried himself upright"

Verb
organize or be responsible for; "hold a reception"; "have, throw, or make a party"; "give a course"

Verb
maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings); "bear a grudge"; "entertain interesting notions"; "harbor a resentment"

Verb
cause to stop; "Halt the engines"; "Arrest the progress"; "halt the presses"

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
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
take and maintain control over, often by violent means; "The dissatisfied students held the President''s office for almost a week"

Verb
keep from departing; "Hold the taxi"; "Hold the horse"

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
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
stop dealing with; "hold all calls to the President''s office while he is in a meeting"

Verb
be valid, applicable, or true; "This theory still holds"

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
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
remain in a certain state, position, or condition; "The weather held"; "They held on the road and kept marching"

Verb
contain or hold; have within; "The jar carries wine"; "The canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water"

Verb
be capable of holding or containing; "This box won''t take all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon"

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
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
have as a major characteristic; "The novel holds many surprises"; "The book holds in store much valuable advise"

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n.
The whole interior portion of a vessel below the lower deck, in which the cargo is stowed.

v. t.
To cause to remain in a given situation, position, or relation, within certain limits, or the like; to prevent from falling or escaping; to sustain; to restrain; to keep in the grasp; to retain.

v. t.
To retain in one's keeping; to maintain possession of, or authority over; not to give up or relinquish; to keep; to defend.

v. t.
To have; to possess; to be in possession of; to occupy; to derive title to; as, to hold office.

v. t.
To impose restraint upon; to limit in motion or action; to bind legally or morally; to confine; to restrain.

v. t.
To maintain in being or action; to carry on; to prosecute, as a course of conduct or an argument; to continue; to sustain.

v. t.
To prosecute, have, take, or join in, as something which is the result of united action; as to, hold a meeting, a festival, a session, etc.; hence, to direct and bring about officially; to conduct or preside at; as, the general held a council of war; a judge holds a court; a clergyman holds a service.

v. t.
To receive and retain; to contain as a vessel; as, this pail holds milk; hence, to be able to receive and retain; to have capacity or containing power for.

v. t.
To accept, as an opinion; to be the adherent of, openly or privately; to persist in, as a purpose; to maintain; to sustain.

v. t.
To consider; to regard; to esteem; to account; to think; to judge.

v. t.
To bear, carry, or manage; as he holds himself erect; he holds his head high.

n. i.
In general, to keep one's self in a given position or condition; to remain fixed. Hence:

n. i.
Not to more; to halt; to stop;-mostly in the imperative.

n. i.
Not to give way; not to part or become separated; to remain unbroken or unsubdued.

n. i.
Not to fail or be found wanting; to continue; to last; to endure a test or trial; to abide; to persist.

n. i.
Not to fall away, desert, or prove recreant; to remain attached; to cleave;-often with with, to, or for.

n. i.
To restrain one's self; to refrain.

n. i.
To derive right or title; -- generally with of.

n.
The act of holding, as in or with the hands or arms; the manner of holding, whether firm or loose; seizure; grasp; clasp; gripe; possession; -- often used with the verbs take and lay.

n.
The authority or ground to take or keep; claim.

n.
Binding power and influence.

n.
Something that may be grasped; means of support.

n.
A place of confinement; a prison; confinement; custody; guard.

n.
A place of security; a fortified place; a fort; a castle; -- often called a stronghold.

n.
A character [thus /] placed over or under a note or rest, and indicating that it is to be prolonged; -- called also pause, and corona.

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Hold

Hold , n. [D. hol hole, hollow. See Hole.] (Naut.) The whole interior portion of a vessel below the lower deck, in which the cargo is stowed.

Hold

Hold, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Held ; p. pr. & vb. n. Holding. Holden , p. p., is obs. in elegant writing, though still used in legal language.] [OE. haldan, D. houden, OHG. hoten, Icel. halda, Dan. holde, Sw. h'86lla, Goth. haldan to feed, tend (the cattle); of unknown origin. Gf. Avast, Halt, Hod.] 1. To cause to remain in a given situation, position, or relation, within certain limits, or the like; to prevent from falling or escaping; to sustain; to restrain; to keep in the grasp; to retain.

The loops held one curtain to another.

Thy right hand shall hold me.

They all hold swords, being expert in war.

In vain he seeks, that having can not hold.

France, thou mayst hold a serpent by the tongue, . . . A fasting tiger safer by the tooth, Than keep in peace that hand which thou dost hold.

2. To retain in one's keeping; to maintain possession of, or authority over; not to give up or relinquish; to keep; to defend.

We mean to hold what anciently we claim Of deity or empire.

3. To have; to possess; to be in possession of; to occupy; to derive title to; as, to hold office.

This noble merchant held a noble house.

Of him to hold his seigniory for a yearly tribute.

And now the strand, and now the plain, they held.

4. To impose restraint upon; to limit in motion or action; to bind legally or morally; to confine; to restrain.

We can not hold mortality's strong hand.

Death! what do'st? O,hold thy blow.

He hat not sufficient judgment and self-command to hold his tongue.

5. To maintain in being or action; to carry on; to prosecute, as a course of conduct or an argument; to continue; to sustain.

Hold not thy peace, and be not still.

Seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost, Shall hold their course.

6. To prosecute, have, take, or join in, as something which is the result of united action; as to, hold a meeting, a festival, a session, etc.; hence, to direct and bring about officially; to conduct or preside at; as, the general held a council of war; a judge holds a court; a clergyman holds a service.

I would hold more talk with thee.

7. To receive and retain; to contain as a vessel; as, this pail holds milk; hence, to be able to receive and retain; to have capacity or containing power for.

Broken cisterns that can hold no water.

One sees more devils than vast hell can hold.

8. To accept, as an opinion; to be the adherent of, openly or privately; to persist in, as a purpose; to maintain; to sustain.

Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.

But still he held his purpose to depart.

9. To consider; to regard; to esteem; to account; to think; to judge.

I hold him but a fool.

I shall never hold that man my friend.

The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

10. To bear, carry, or manage; as he holds himself erect; he holds his head high.

Let him hold his fingers thus.

To hold a wager, to lay or hazard a wager. Swift. -- To hold forth, to offer; to exhibit; to propose; to put forward. "The propositions which books hold forth and pretend to teach." Locke. -- To held in, to restrain; to curd. -- To hold in hand, to toy with; to keep in expectation; to have in one's power. [Obs.]

O, fie! to receive favors, return falsehoods, And hold a lady in hand.

--To hold in play, to keep under control; to dally with. Macaulay. -- To hold off, to keep at a distance. -- To hold on, to hold in being, continuance or position; as, to hold a rider on. -- To hold one's day, to keep one's appointment. [Obs.] Chaucer. -- To hold one's own. (a) To keep good one's present condition absolutely or relatively; not to fall off, or to lose ground; as, a ship holds her own when she does not lose ground in a race or chase; a man holds his own when he does not lose strength or weight. -- To hold one's peace, to keep silence.- To hold out. (a) To extend; to offer. "Fortune holds out these to you as rewards." B. Jonson. (b) To continue to do or to suffer; to endure. "He can not long hold out these pangs." Shak. -- To hold up. (a) To raise; to lift; as, hold up your head. (b) To support; to sustain. "He holds himself up in virtue."Sir P. Sidney. (c) To exhibit; to display; as, he was held up as an example. (d) To rein in; to check; to halt; as, hold up your horses. -- To hold water. (a) Literally, to retain water without leaking; hence (Fig.), to be whole, sound, consistent, without gaps or holes; -- commonly used in a negative sense; as, his statements will not hold water. [Collog.] (b) (Naut.) To hold the oars steady in the water, thus checking the headway of a boat.

Hold

Hold, n. i. In general, to keep one's self in a given position or condition; to remain fixed. Hence: 1. Not to more; to halt; to stop;-mostly in the imperative.

And damned be him that first cries, "Hold, enough!"

2. Not to give way; not to part or become separated; to remain unbroken or unsubdued.

Our force by land hath nobly held.

3. Not to fail or be found wanting; to continue; to last; to endure a test or trial; to abide; to persist.

While our obedience holds.

The rule holds in land as all other commodities.

4. Not to fall away, desert, or prove recreant; to remain attached; to cleave;-often with with, to, or for.

He will hold to the one and despise the other.

5. To restrain one's self; to refrain.

His dauntless heart would fain have held From weeping, but his eyes rebelled.

6. To derive right or title; -- generally with of.

My crown is absolute, and holds of none.

His imagination holds immediately from nature.

Hold on! Hold up! wait; stop; forbear. [Collog] -- To hold forth, to speak in public; to harangue; to preach. L'Estrange. -- To hold in, to restrain one's self; as, he wanted to laugh and could hardly hold in. -- To hold off, to keep at a distance. -- To hold on, to keep fast hold; to continue; to go on. "The trade held on for many years," Swift. -- To hold out, to last; to endure; to continue; to maintain one's self; not to yield or give way. -- To hold over, to remain in office, possession, etc., beyond a certain date. -- To hold to ∨ with, to take sides with, as a person or opinion. -- To hold together, to be joined; not to separate; to remain in union. Dryden. Locke. -- To hold up. (a) To support one's self; to remain unbent or unbroken; as, to hold up under misfortunes. (b) To cease raining; to cease to stop; as, it holds up. Hudibras. (c) To keep up; not to fall behind; not to lose ground. Collier.

Hold

Hold , n. 1. The act of holding, as in or with the hands or arms; the manner of holding, whether firm or loose; seizure; grasp; clasp; gripe; possession; -- often used with the verbs take and lay.

Ne have I not twelve pence within mine hold.

Thou should'st lay hold upon him.

My soul took hold on thee.

Take fast hold of instruction.

2. The authority or ground to take or keep; claim.

The law hath yet another hold on you.

3. Binding power and influence.

Fear . . . by which God and his laws take the surest hold of.

4. Something that may be grasped; means of support.

If a man be upon an high place without rails or good hold, he is ready to fall.

5. A place of confinement; a prison; confinement; custody; guard.

They . . . put them in hold unto the next day.

King Richard, he is in the mighty hold Of Bolingbroke.

6. A place of security; a fortified place; a fort; a castle; -- often called a stronghold. Chaucer.

New comers in an ancient hold

7. (Mus.) A character [thus ] placed over or under a note or rest, and indicating that it is to be prolonged; -- called also pause, and corona.

The whole interior portion of a vessel below the lower deck, in which the cargo is stowed.

To cause to remain in a given situation, position, or relation, within certain limits, or the like; to prevent from falling or escaping; to sustain; to restrain; to keep in the grasp; to retain.

In general, to keep one's self in a given position or condition; to remain fixed. Hence:

The act of holding, as in or with the hands or arms; the manner of holding, whether firm or loose; seizure; grasp; clasp; gripe; possession; -- often used with the verbs take and lay.