holdup
Medium (C1)Informal to Neutral. Common in journalism and everyday speech.
Definition
Meaning
A situation where someone is threatened with a weapon to steal from them; a delay or stoppage.
An armed robbery; a delay or interruption in a process, system, or journey. Also used metaphorically for any obstruction.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun 'holdup' (robbery) is closed form or hyphenated ('hold-up'), while the verb phrase is 'hold up' (two words). The sense of 'delay' is more frequent than 'robbery' in many contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: BrE often prefers the hyphenated form 'hold-up' for the noun, especially for the robbery sense, though 'holdup' is also used. AmE typically uses 'holdup' (closed).
Connotations
In both, the primary association is either 'robbery' or 'delay'. No significant connotative difference.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties for the 'delay' meaning. The 'robbery' meaning is common in crime reporting globally.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
There was a holdup (on the M25).The holdup lasted (for two hours).Police are investigating (the holdup).Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Hold up under pressure”
- “Hold up your end of the bargain.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"A holdup in the supply chain has delayed production." (delay)
Academic
"The negotiations experienced a temporary holdup over ethical concerns." (delay, interruption)
Everyday
"Sorry I'm late, there was a holdup on the tube." (delay)
Technical
Not typically used in formal technical registers; 'latency', 'delay', or 'interruption' are preferred.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The accident could hold up traffic for hours.
- The evidence won't hold up in court.
American English
- That old truck is gonna hold up traffic.
- Your argument doesn't hold up under scrutiny.
adverb
British English
- He held the sign up high.
- Please hold your head up.
American English
- Hold your hands up where I can see them.
- She held the trophy up proudly.
adjective
British English
- They installed new hold-up stockings.
- The hold-up device was crude.
American English
- She wore hold-up pantyhose.
- It was a classic holdup scenario.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- There is a holdup on the road.
- The bus was late because of a holdup.
- We missed the start of the film due to a traffic holdup.
- The police arrested a man after a bank holdup.
- A holdup in customs clearance has stalled the entire shipment.
- The film's production faced a major holdup when the lead actor fell ill.
- The negotiations hit a diplomatic holdup over the wording of the treaty.
- The daring holdup was executed with military precision, but the perpetrators were later caught.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of someone holding up a bank (robbery) or traffic being held up by an accident (delay). Both involve something being STOPPED.
Conceptual Metaphor
OBSTRUCTION IS A PHYSICAL BARRIER (e.g., 'traffic holdup'), CRIME IS A PERFORMANCE (e.g., 'pulled off a holdup').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'поддерживать' (to support). 'Holdup' as a noun is not a verb.
- The 'delay' meaning is primary; direct translation to 'ограбление' (robbery) may not fit the context.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'holdup' as a verb (incorrect: 'He holdup the bank.'). Correct: 'He held up the bank.' or 'He committed a holdup.'
- Confusing 'holdup' (noun) with 'hold up' (verb phrase).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'holdup' used CORRECTLY as a single noun?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on its function. The noun meaning 'robbery' or 'delay' is typically one word ('holdup') or hyphenated ('hold-up'). The verb phrase meaning 'to delay' or 'to rob' is always two words: 'hold up'.
'Holdup' implies a more sudden, unexpected, or obstructive delay, often with a specific cause (e.g., an accident, a robbery). 'Delay' is a more general, neutral term for any lateness.
For the 'delay' meaning, it is acceptable in neutral/formal journalism but may be considered slightly informal in academic or technical reports where 'delay', 'interruption', or 'bottleneck' might be preferred.
No. While one common meaning is an armed robbery, the meaning of an 'interruption' or 'delay' (e.g., a traffic holdup, a holdup in talks) is at least as frequent in everyday language.