hold [4] (holds 3rd person present) (holding present participle) (held past tense & past participle ) (PHRASES)
Please look at category 13 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 If you hold forthon a subject, you speak confidently and for a long time about it, especially to a group of people.
hold forth phrase V inflects, oft PHR on n
Barry was holding forth on politics.
2 If you get hold of an object or information, you obtain it, usually after some difficulty.
get hold of sth phrase V inflects, PHR n
It is hard to get hold of guns in this country.
3 If you get hold of a fact or a subject, you learn about it and understand it well.
(BRIT)
INFORMAL
get hold of sth phrase V inflects, PHR n
He first had to get hold of some basic facts.
4 If you get hold of someone, you manage to contact them.
get hold of sb phrase V inflects, PHR n
The only electrician we could get hold of was miles away.
5 If you say `Hold it', you are telling someone to stop what they are doing and to wait.
hold it convention
(=stop)
Hold it! Don't move!
6 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.
on hold phrase PHR after v, v-link PHR
He put his retirement on hold until he had found a solution...
7 If you hold your own, you are able to resist someone who is attacking or opposing you.
hold one's own phrase V inflects
The Frenchman held his own against the challenger.
8 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.
hold one's own phrase V inflects, oft PHR against n
She can hold her own against almost any player.
9 If you hold still, you do not move.
hold still phrase V inflects
Can't you hold still for a second?
10 If something takes hold, it gains complete control or influence over a person or thing.
take hold phrase V inflects, oft PHR of n
She felt a strange excitement taking hold of her...
11 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.
hold tight phrase V inflects, oft PHR prep
(=hang on)
He held tight to the rope...
12 If you hold tight, you do not immediately start a course of action that you have been planning or thinking about.
hold tight phrase V inflects
The unions have circulated their branches, urging members to hold tight until a national deal is struck.
13
→
to hold something at bay
→
bay
→
to hold your breath
→
breath
→
to hold something in check
→
check
→
to hold court
→
court
→
to hold fast
→
fast
→
to hold the fort
→
fort
→
to hold your ground
→
ground
→
to hold your peace
→
peace
→
to hold someone to ransom
→
ransom
→
to hold sway
→
sway
→
to hold your tongue
→
tongue
