hold [2] ( holds 3rd person present) ( holding present participle) ( held past tense & past participle ) (HAVING OR DOING)
Hold is often used to indicate that someone or something has the particular thing, characteristic, or attitude that is mentioned. Therefore it takes most of its meaning from the word that follows it.
1 verb Hold is used with words and expressions indicating an opinion or belief, to show that someone has a particular opinion or believes that something is true.
no cont
He holds certain expectations about the teacher's role... V n
Current thinking holds that obesity is more a medical than a psychological problem... V that
The public, meanwhile, hold architects in low esteem. V n in n
...a widely held opinion. V-ed
2 verb Hold is used with words such as `fear' or `mystery' to indicate someone's feelings towards something, as if those feelings were a characteristic of the thing itself.
no passive
Death doesn't hold any fear for me... V n for n
It held more mystery than even the darkest jungle... V n
3 verb Hold is used with nouns such as `office', `power', and `responsibility' to indicate that someone has a particular position of power or authority.
She has never held ministerial office... V n
4 verb Hold is used with nouns such as `permit', `degree', or `ticket' to indicate that someone has a particular document that allows them to do something.
He did not hold a firearm certificate... V n
Passengers holding tickets will receive refunds. V n
5 verb Hold is used with nouns such as `party', `meeting', `talks', `election', and `trial' to indicate that people are organizing a particular activity.
The German sports federation said it would hold an investigation. V n
♦
holding n-uncount N of n
They also called for the holding of multi-party general elections.
6 v-recip Hold is used with nouns such as `conversation', `interview', and `talks' to indicate that two or more people meet and discuss something.
The Prime Minister, is holding consultations with his colleagues to finalise the deal... V n with n
The engineer and his son held frequent consultations concerning technical problems... pl-n V
They can't believe you can even hold a conversation. V n (non-recip)
7 verb Hold is used with nouns such as `shares' and `stock' to indicate that someone owns a particular proportion of a business.
The group said it continues to hold 1,774,687 Vons shares... V n
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holding
8 verb Hold is used with words such as `lead' or `advantage' to indicate that someone is winning or doing well in a contest.
He continued to hold a lead in Angola's presidential race... V n
9 verb Hold is used with nouns such as `attention' or `interest' to indicate that what you do or say keeps someone interested or listening to you.
(=keep)
If you want to hold someone's attention, look them directly in the eye but don't stare... V n
10 verb If you hold someone responsible, liable, or accountable for something, you will blame them if anything goes wrong. It's impossible to hold any individual responsible. V n adj
holding ( holdings plural )
1 n-count If you have a holding in a company, you own shares in it. (BUSINESS) with supp
(=investment)
That would increase Olympia & York's holding to 35%...
2 adj A holding operation or action is a temporary one that is intended to keep a situation under control and to prevent it from becoming worse.
ADJ n
A garden is, at best, a holding operation against nature.
holding company ( holding companies plural ) A holding company is a company that has enough shares in one or more other companies to be able to control the other companies. (BUSINESS) n-count