hold 4

English - English

Definition of hold 4 in English English dictionary

If you hold still, you do not move. Can't you hold still for a second?

to hold something at bay: see bay to hold your breath: see breath to hold something in check: see check to hold court: see court to hold fast: see fast to hold the fort: see fort to hold your ground: see ground to hold your peace: see peace to hold someone to ransom: see ransom to hold sway: see sway to hold your tongue: see tongue

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If you get hold of a fact or a subject, you learn about it and understand it well. He first had to get hold of some basic facts

If you hold forth on a subject, you speak confidently and for a long time about it, especially to a group of people. Barry was holding forth on politics

If you hold tight, you do not immediately start a course of action that you have been planning or thinking about. The unions have circulated their branches, urging members to hold tight until a national deal is struck

If you say `Hold it', you are telling someone to stop what they are doing and to wait. Hold it! Don't move! = stop

If you hold tight, you put your hand round or against something in order to prevent yourself from falling over. A bus driver might say `Hold tight!' to you if you are standing on a bus when it is about to move. He held tight to the rope = hang on

If you get hold of an object or information, you obtain it, usually after some difficulty. It is hard to get hold of guns in this country

If you hold your own, you are able to resist someone who is attacking or opposing you. The Frenchman held his own against the challenger

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If you put something on hold, you decide not to do it, deal with it, or change it now, but to leave it until later. He put his retirement on hold until he had found a solution

If you get hold of someone, you manage to contact them. The only electrician we could get hold of was miles away

If you can do something well enough to hold your own, you do not appear foolish when you are compared with someone who is generally thought to be very good at it. She can hold her own against almost any player

If something takes hold, it gains complete control or influence over a person or thing. She felt a strange excitement taking hold of her