Definition of hold - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
handsgrasp or carry something in one's hands
- She can hold the bag while you shop.
2.
storagecontain or store within a space
- The bottle holds one liter of water.
3.
controlmaintain possession or control of something
- He holds the keys to the office.
4.
state maintenancekeep someone or something in a particular state
- The glue holds the pieces together.
5.
event organizationorganize or conduct an event
- They will hold a meeting tomorrow.
6.
restraintrestrain or limit movement
- The police held the suspect overnight.
7.
mindkeep attention or interest
- The speaker held the audience's attention.
8.
physicssupport or bear weight
- The bridge holds a lot of traffic.
9.
timedelay or cause to wait
- Please hold the elevator for me.
10.
validityintr. remain valid or trueintr.
- The rule still holds today.
11.
considerationkeep in mind or consider
- She holds a high opinion of him.
12.
sportsTECH. win one's own service game in tennisTECH.
- He managed to hold his serve.
Noun
1.
actionfirm grip or grasp on something
- He had a strong hold on the rope.
2.
authoritypower or control over someone or something
- She had a hold over the entire team.
3.
reservationreserved or delayed action or item
- There was a hold on the library book.
4.
cargo spaceplace for storing cargo on a ship or plane
- The hold was filled with supplies for the journey.
5.
wrestlingTECH. position or grip used in wrestlingTECH.
- He used a hold to pin his opponent.
Images of hold

place for storing cargo on a ship or plane
Expressions with hold
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
keep something in your hand
Can you hold it while I open the door?
maintain a grip on something
Hold on tight to the railing.
grasp something firmly
She reached out to catch hold of the railing.
prevent from advancing or progressing
The lack of funds will hold back the project's completion.
pinch nostrils to block a smell
She had to hold her nose near the garbage.
keep your head raised and not look down
She held her head up during the performance.
pinch your nose to avoid a bad smell
Hold your nose when you open that fridge; the fish has spoiled.
obtain or acquire something needed or wanted
I need to get a hold of some tickets.
physically grasp something with your hand
She had a tight hold of the rope.
have the highest achievement in a category
She holds a record for the fastest marathon.
keep something in place by applying pressure
She held down the papers in the wind.
prevent something from escaping
He held in his breath while diving underwater.
delay urination or defecation despite urgency
She had to hold it in until the next rest stop.
wait before acting
Hold off on making a decision until we have more information.
wait briefly for a short time
Hold on a minute while I find my keys.
keep a strong hold on something
Hold on tight to the railing.
keep air in lungs before exhaling
She can hold her breath for two minutes.
grasp something firmly to prevent falling
Hold onto the railing while climbing the stairs.
stay motionless during an activity or process
Please hold still for the photograph.
keep a phone line open during a call
Please hold the line while I transfer your call.
have the highest achievement in a category
She holds the record for the fastest marathon.
cause objects to stay united
The glue will hold the pieces together.
impede or cause a delay
The traffic accident held up the morning commute.
raise hands in the air to show surrender or attention
The police told him to hold up his hands.
Origin of hold
Old English, healdan (to hold)
Terms with hold included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
grab hold
capture or seize someone or something
action
hold something tightly with the hand
force
take hold of and exert force to remove
capacity
contain or hold as much as possible
storage
container or covering designed to protect or hold objects
fasten
hold things tightly together with a small metal clamp
keeping box
object used to hold or store things
physical hold
hold something firmly with your hand
control
firm hold or grasp on something
physical contact
touch, lift, or hold with the hands
hold back
delay action until a specific time or event
permission
be allowed to possess or hold something
food
thin biscuit used to hold ice cream
bicycle
the part you hold to steer a bike
actions
hold tightly to something
carry
to hold something on your back
physical touch
hold another person's hand with your own hand
grip
hold something more firmly
media
attract or hold someone's attention or interest
handling
support or hold in a certain manner
hold inside
have or hold within
gentle grip
hold gently in cupped hands
emotion
hold someone closely in your arms with affection
physical hold
firm hold or grip on something
Examples of hold in a sentence
Can you hold this for a moment? The warehouse holds thousands of boxes. This container holds all the necessary tools. She holds the title of champion. They hold the power in negotiations. The contract holds the parties to their promises.
The dam holds back the river's flow. The company plans to hold a conference next month. We will hold a charity event this weekend. She held the dog back from running away. They held the door to prevent it from closing. The mystery held readers until the final page. Her opening question held everyone's interest. The shelf can hold several heavy books. This structure is designed to hold up under pressure. Can you hold the door open for a moment? The operator asked me to hold while she transferred the call. The contract holds despite the changes. His argument holds under scrutiny. He holds the belief that honesty is crucial. They hold the view that change is necessary. She struggled but managed to hold her serve. It's crucial to hold your serve in this match. Her hold on the situation was impressive. The climber's hold on the cliff was secure. The manager's hold on the project was undeniable. His hold over the negotiations ensured a favorable outcome. The project is on hold until further notice. There's a hold on the new product release. The hold contained valuable artifacts. Inspectors checked the hold for contraband. She escaped his hold and rolled away. The coach demonstrated a hold for controlling an opponent's arm.
View all translations of hold
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:tenir, emprise, ...
- German:halten, Griff, ...
- Italian:reggere, presa, ...
- Spanish:agarrar, agarre, ...
- Portuguese:segurar, aperto, ...
- Chinese:抓住, 抓握, ...
- Japanese:持つ, 握り, ...
- Arabic:أَمْسَكَ, قَبْضَة, ...
- Hebrew:לְהַחֲזִיק, אֲחִיזָה, ...
- Russian:держать, захват, ...
- Ukrainian:тримати, захоплення, ...
- Hindi:पकड़ना, पकड़, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the