hold

pronunciation

How to pronounce hold in British English: UK [həʊld] word uk audio image

How to pronounce hold in American English: US [hoʊld] word us audio image

Noun:

the act of grasping
understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something
power by which something or someone is affected or dominated
time during which some action is awaited
a state of being confined (usually for a short time)
a stronghold
a cell in a jail or prison
the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it
the space in a ship or aircraft for storing cargo
Verb:

organize or be responsible for
keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep clean"
have or hold in one's hands or grip
to close within bounds, limit or hold back from movement
have rightfully; of rights, titles, and offices
have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense
keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view
contain or hold; have within
lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits
remain in a certain state, position, or condition
maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
assert or affirm
remain committed to
secure and keep for possible future use or application
be the physical support of; carry the weight of
hold the attention of
keep from exhaling or expelling
support or hold in a certain manner
have room for; hold without crowding
be capable of holding or containing
be valid, applicable, or true
take and maintain control over, often by violent means
protect against a challenge or attack
declare to be
have as a major characteristic
cause to stop
bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted
cover as for protection against noise or smell
drink alcohol without showing ill effects
be pertinent or relevant or applicable
arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance
resist or confront with resistance
keep from departing
stop dealing with
aim, point, or direct
be in accord; be in agreement

Word Origin

hold: hold: Hold ‘grasp, clasp’ [OE] and hold ‘cargo store’ [16] are not the same word. The verb goes back to a prehistoric Germanic source which meant ‘watch, guard’. This ancestral sense is preserved in the derivative behold [OE], but the simple verb hold, together with its relatives German halten (source of English halt), Dutch houden, Swedish hålla, and Danish holde, has moved on via ‘keep’ to ‘have in the hands’. The cargo hold, on the other hand, is simply an alteration (influenced by the verb hold) of an earlier hole or holl – which was either the English word hole or a borrowing of its Dutch relative hol.=> behold, halt; hole

hold (v.): Old English haldan (Anglian), healdan (West Saxon), "to contain, grasp; retain; foster, cherish," class VII strong verb (past tense heold, past participle healden), from Proto-Germanic *haldan (cognates: Old Saxon haldan, Old Frisian halda, Old Norse halda, Dutch houden, German halten "to hold," Gothic haldan "to tend"), originally "to keep, tend, watch over" (as cattle), later "to have." Ancestral sense is preserved in behold. The original past participle holden was replaced by held beginning 16c., but survives in some legal jargon and in beholden. Hold back is 1530s, transitive; 1570s, intransitive; hold off is early 15c., transitive; c. 1600, intransitive; hold out is 1520s as "to stretch forth," 1580s as "to resist pressure." Hold on is early 13c. as "to maintain one's course," 1830 as "to keep one's grip on something," 1846 as an order to wait or stop. To hold (one's) tongue "be silent" is from c. 1300. To hold (one's) own is from early 14c. To hold (someone's) hand "give moral support" is from 1935. Phrase hold your horses "be patient" is from 1844. To have and to hold have been paired alliteratively since at least c. 1200, originally of marriage but also of real estate.

hold (n.2): "space in a ship below the lower deck, in which cargo is stowed," 15c. corruption in the direction of hold (v.) of Old English hol "hole" (see hole), influenced by Middle Dutch hol "hold of a ship," and Middle English hul, which originally meant both "the hold" and "the hull" of a ship (see hull). Or possibly from Old English holu "husk, pod." All from PIE *kel- "to cover, conceal."

hold (n.1): "act of holding," c. 1100; "grasp, grip," c. 1200, from Old English geheald (Anglian gehald) "keeping, custody, guard; watch, protector, guardian," from hold (v.). Meaning "place of refuge" is from c. 1200; "fortified place" is from c. 1300; "place of imprisonment" is from late 14c. Wrestling sense is from 1713. No holds barred "with all restrictions removed" is first recorded 1942 in theater jargon but is ultimately from wrestling. Telephoning sense is from c. 1964, from expression hold the line, warning that one is away from the receiver, 1912.