held up

held; held or hold·en; hold·ing.

• : to have or keep in the hand; keep fast; grasp: She held the purse in her right hand. He held the child's hand in his.
• : to set aside; reserve or retain: to hold merchandise until called for; to hold a reservation.
• : to bear, sustain, or support, as with the hands or arms, or by any other means.
• : to keep in a specified state, relation, etc.: The preacher held them spellbound.
• : to detain: The police held him at the station house.
• : to engage in; preside over; carry on: to hold a meeting.
• : to keep back from action; hinder; restrain: Fear held him from acting.
• : to have the ownership or use of; keep as one's own; occupy: to hold political office.
• : to contain or be capable of containing: This bottle holds a quart.
• : to bind or make accountable to an obligation: We will hold you to your promise to pay back the money.
• : to have or keep in the mind; think or believe: We hold this belief.
• : to regard or consider: to hold a person responsible.
• : to decide legally.
• : to consider of a certain value; rate: We held her best of all the applicants.
• : to keep forcibly, as against an adversary: Enemy forces held the hill.
• : to point, aim, or direct: He held a gun on the prisoner. The firefighter held a hose on the blaze.
• : Music. to sustain.
• : to omit from the usual order or combination: Give me a burger well-done—hold the pickle.

held; held or hold·en; hold·ing.

• : to remain or continue in a specified state, relation, etc.: Hold still while I take your picture.
• : to remain fast; adhere; cling: Will this button hold?
• : to keep or maintain a grasp on something.
• : to maintain one's position against opposition; continue in resistance.
• : to agree or side: to hold with new methods.
• : to hold property by some tenure; derive title.
• : to remain attached, faithful, or steadfast: to hold to one's purpose.
• : to remain valid; be in force: The rule does not hold.
• : to refrain or forbear.

• : an act of holding fast by a grasp of the hand or by some other physical means; grasp; grip: Take hold. Do you have a hold on the rope?
• : something to hold a thing by, as a handle; something to grasp, especially for support.
• : something that holds fast or supports something else.
• : an order reserving something: to put a hold on a library book.
• : Finance. a security purchased or recommended for long-term growth.
• : a controlling force or dominating influence: to have a hold on a person.
• : Wrestling. a method of seizing an opponent and keeping him in control: a toe hold.
• : Music. fermata.
• : a pause or delay, as in a continuing series: a hold in the movements of a dance.
• : a prison or prison cell.
• : a receptacle for something: a basket used as a hold for letters.
• : Rocketry. a halt in the prelaunch countdown, either planned or unexpectedly called, to allow correction of one or more faults in the rocket or missile.
• : a fortified place; stronghold.
• : a feature that enables a person to maintain a connection on one line while answering another line.

• : hold back, to restrain or check: Police held back the crowd.to retain possession of; keep back: He held back ten dollars.to refrain from revealing; withhold: to hold back information.to refrain from participating or engaging in some activity: He held back from joining in the singing because he felt depressed.Photography.dodge.
• : hold down, to restrain; check: Hold down that noise!to continue to hold and manage well: She held down that job for years.
• : hold forth, to extend or offer; propose.to talk at great length; harangue: When we left, he was still holding forth on World War II.
• : hold in, to restrain; check; curb.to contain oneself; exercise restraint: He was raging inside, but held himself in for fear of saying something he would regret.
• : hold off, to keep at a distance; resist; repel.to postpone action; defer: If you hold off applying for a passport, you may not get one in time.
• : hold on, to keep a firm grip on.to keep going; continue.to maintain, as one's opinion or position.to stop; halt: Hold on now! That isn't what I meant at all.to keep a telephone connection open by not hanging up the receiver: The operator asked us to hold on while the number we'd dialed was being checked.
• : hold out, to present; offer.to stretch forth; extend: Hold out your hand.to continue to exist; last: Will the food hold out?to refuse to yield or submit: The defenders held out for weeks.to withhold something expected or due: He was suspected of holding out information important to the case.
• : hold over, to keep for future consideration or action; postpone.to remain in possession or in office beyond the regular term.to remain beyond the arranged period: The movie was held over for a week.Music.to prolong from one measure to the next.
• : hold up, to offer; give: She held up his father as an example to follow.to present to notice; expose: to hold someone up to ridicule.to hinder; delay: The plane's departure was held up because of the storm.to stop by force in order to rob.to support; uphold: to hold up farm prices.to stop; halt: They held up at the gate.to maintain one's position or condition; endure: They held up through all their troubles.
• : hold with, to be in agreement with; concur with: I don't hold with his pessimistic views.to approve of; condone: They won't hold with such a travesty of justice.