hold
highAll registers (formal, informal, technical)
Definition
Meaning
To have and keep in one's grasp or possession; to keep something in a particular position or state.
To maintain an opinion, belief, or position; to contain; to have a capacity for; to organize and conduct (e.g., a meeting); to be valid or applicable; to resist or withstand pressure.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb 'hold' is highly polysemous and exhibits a radial network of meanings stemming from the core physical action. It frequently blends with abstract domains (e.g., 'hold a belief', 'hold a position', 'hold an event'). Its intransitive uses (e.g., 'Will the rope hold?', 'The law holds here') often imply resilience or validity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor differences exist in specific phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions. For instance, in telephony, "Hold the line" is common in both, but US English also uses "Please hold." The noun for a cargo storage area on a ship is often 'hold' in both, but US English might more readily use 'storage compartment' in non-nautical contexts. In sports, US English uses "holding" as a penalty in American football, which is not a concept in UK sports.
Connotations
Similar core connotations. The noun 'hold' (as in a grip) is slightly more common in martial contexts in the UK (e.g., wrestling hold). The phrase 'on hold' (for a phone call) is neutral in both, but carries a slight negative connotation of delay.
Frequency
The word is of extremely high frequency in both varieties with negligible difference in overall use.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SV (intransitive: The rope held.)SVO (transitive: She held the baby.)SVOA (transitive + complement: He held the door open.)SVO that-clause (She holds that it's true.)SVOO (He held them responsible.)SVO for N (Hold this for me.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hold your horses”
- “hold your tongue”
- “hold the fort”
- “hold water”
- “hold all the cards”
- “hold your nerve”
- “hold someone/something at bay”
- “hold fire”
- “get hold of”
- “no holds barred”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The company holds a 30% market share." / "We need to hold a board meeting next week."
Academic
"The theory no longer holds under these conditions." / "The vessel can hold up to 500 millilitres."
Everyday
"Can you hold my bag for a second?" / "Hold on, I'm coming!"
Technical
"The bolt holds the chassis to the frame." (Engineering) / "The server holds the data in cache." (Computing)
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- He kept a firm hold on the ladder.
- The ship's cargo was stored in the hold.
- She has a real hold over her younger brother.
American English
- Get a good hold on the rope before you swing.
- The climber found a secure hold on the rock face.
- The government tightened its hold on the industry.
verb
British English
- Hold the rail while you go down the stairs.
- This barrel holds 50 litres of ale.
- The court will hold a hearing next month.
- Does your offer still hold?
American English
- Hold the elevator, please!
- My car holds five people comfortably.
- We need to hold a fundraiser for the team.
- The rule doesn't hold in all cases.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I can hold two bags.
- Hold my hand, please.
- The box holds many books.
- Can you hold the door open for me?
- The theatre holds 500 people.
- He holds a senior position in the bank.
- The ceasefire seems to be holding for now.
- She holds the view that education should be free.
- The old bridge may not hold the weight of the lorry.
- The argument, while compelling, fails to hold water under close scrutiny.
- He was held liable for the damages caused by his negligence.
- A strange silence held the room as they awaited the verdict.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine your HAND has an OLD (hold) grip on something. HAND + OLD = You've been HOLDing it for a long time.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE POSSESSIONS ("hold a belief"), ATTENTION IS A GRASPABLE OBJECT ("hold your attention"), CONTROL IS HOLDING ("hold power", "hold sway"), CONTINUING IS HOLDING ("hold a course", "hold steady").
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'hold a meeting' as 'держать встречу' (incorrect), use 'проводить встречу'.
- "Hold on" often means 'wait' (подождите), not just 'hold something'.
- Confusing 'hold' with 'keep' (хранить). 'Hold' often implies a temporary or active grasp, while 'keep' implies longer-term possession/storage.
- "It holds that..." is a formal structure meaning 'it is true that...', easily mistranslated literally.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *"She holds driving license." Correct: "She holds a driving license." (Article required).
- Overusing 'hold' for abstract nouns: *"hold a conversation" is fine, but *"hold a speech" is not; use 'give a speech'.
- Confusing 'hold' with 'hold up' (delay/rob). "The traffic was held" is ambiguous; "The traffic was held up" is clearer for delay.
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'Her advice always holds good,' what does 'hold' most closely mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Hold' often implies a temporary, active grasp or physical support (hold a baby, hold a meeting). 'Keep' implies longer-term possession, storage, or continuation of a state (keep a secret, keep money in the bank, keep quiet).
It can be both. It's dynamic when describing an action (He held up the sign). It's stative when describing a state or possession (The bottle holds two litres, She holds a PhD).
It means to seem true, reasonable, or valid when examined closely. If an argument 'doesn't hold water', it is flawed and unconvincing.
It is used to indicate belief or a ruling ('The court holds that...'), responsibility ('hold someone liable'), or the act of convening ('hold a tribunal'). It conveys authority and formality in such contexts.
Collections
Part of a collection
Daily Verbs
A1 · 50 words · Essential action words used in everyday conversation.