Definition Synonyms
Definition of holding - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
sportsTECH. obstruction of an opponent in sportsTECH.
- He was penalized for holding during the match.
2.
ownershipTECH. something owned like stocks or bondsTECH.
- He increased his holdings in the company.
3.
case rulingTECH. US legal decision made by a courtTECH. US
- The court's holding was in favor of the defendant.
4.
collectionTECH. items kept in a museum or libraryTECH.
- The library's holdings include rare manuscripts.
5.
landDated UK farm or estate held by someoneDated UK
- He inherited a large holding from his uncle.
Adjective
temporary retentionused to describe something that temporarily keeps something else
- The holding area was crowded with passengers.
Images of holding

farm or estate held by someone
Expressions with holding
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state of inactivity or waiting
The project is in a holding pattern until we get more funding.
be left to handle a problem alone
After the meeting, she was left holding the baby.
abandon someone and force them to take responsibility or blame
He left her holding the baby when the project failed.
abandon a person so that this person faces trouble or blame alone
They ran away after breaking the window and left him holding the bag.
responsible for a problem or failure
After the project failed, she was left holding the bag.
impossible to stop someone who is very excited or determined
Once he decided to go, there's no holding him.
be left with the responsibility of resolving a problem
He was left holding the baby when the team failed to deliver.
own part of a company or property
She has a holding in several tech startups.
someone cannot be stopped or restrained
Once she starts talking, there's no holding her.
act of two people grasping each other's hands
Hand-holding is common among couples in public.
area where people are temporarily kept, often before an event
Fans waited in the holding pen before the concert started.
greatest amount that a space or container can safely contain
The stadium's holding capacity is fifty thousand people.
place where people animals or goods are kept for a short time
Workers moved the rescued dogs to a nearby holding facility.
room in a police station for temporarily keeping suspects
The suspect was placed in the holding cell overnight.
short-term action to keep things stable
The company launched a holding operation to manage the crisis.
power that keeps people or groups united in a situation
Shared goals acted as a holding force within the community.
container for storing waste temporarily
The RV has a holding tank for sewage.
place where vehicles are stored temporarily
The impounded cars were taken to the holding yard.
time length an investment or asset is kept before being sold
Their tax rate depended on the holding period of the shares.
company owning shares in other companies
The holding company controls several subsidiaries.
midfielder who focuses on defensive duties
The team relies on their holding midfielder to break up attacks.
company owning or controlling banks
The bank holding company acquired two regional banks.
ownership of shares between two or more companies
The cross-holding between the firms strengthened their partnership.
enclosed area where horses or livestock are temporarily kept
The horses were moved to the holding paddock before the race.
Origin of holding
Old English, gehealdan (to keep)
Terms with holding included in their meaning
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metal container
container typically used for holding liquids or food
kitchen
shallow container for serving or holding food
furniture
piece of furniture holding electric light bulbs
furniture
flat surface for holding objects
fastener
device for holding things together
holding
having something inside or within
storage
folder or box for holding loose papers
incarceration
building for holding convicted criminals
storage
framework for holding objects
containers
long hollow containers for holding or transporting
order
person or item holding position 14 in a sequence
physical contact
holding each other's hands while walking
keep holding
maintain a grip on something
plant
part of pea plant holding seeds
carrying things
while holding many things in the arms
possession
holding or possessing an object
home decor
jar-shaped container for holding or displaying a candle
contest winner
holding first place in a contest
hand part
handle or part designed for holding an object
tools
equipped with a handle for holding or carrying
correctional facility
place for holding people awaiting trial or punishment
authority
person holding a position of authority in an organization
support
structure for holding something upright
kitchenware
shallow platform for holding objects
Examples of holding in a sentence
Holding was the reason for the team's penalty. His holdings include several real estate properties. She diversified her holdings to minimize risk. The holding set a precedent for future cases. His lawyer explained the holding to him in detail. The museum's holdings are extensive and varied.
His holdings include several first edition books. The farmer expanded his holding by purchasing adjacent land. She managed the holding efficiently, increasing its productivity. The holding cell was small and cramped. They waited in the holding pattern for an hour.
View all translations of holding
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:retenue, temporaire, ...
- German:Halten, vorübergehend, ...
- Italian:trattenuta, provvisorio, ...
- Spanish:sujeción, de retención, ...
- Portuguese:obstrução, provisório, ...
- Chinese:阻碍, 临时的, ...
- Japanese:ホールディング, 一時的な, ...
- Arabic:إِمْساك, اِحْتِجازي, ...
- Hebrew:אֲחִיזָה, הַמְּיוּעָד לְהַחְזָקָה זְמַנִּית, ...
- Russian:удержание, временный, ...
- Ukrainian:затримка, тимчасовий, ...
- Hindi:रोकना, अस्थायी, ...
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)
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, ...
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