hold [1] (holds plural & 3rd person present) (holding present participle) (held past tense & past participle ) (PHYSICALLY TOUCHING, SUPPORTING, OR CONTAINING)
1 verb When you hold something, you carry or support it, using your hands or your arms.
Hold the knife at an angle... V n prep/adv
He held the pistol in his right hand... V n
Hold is also a noun., n-count usu sing
He released his hold on the camera.
2 n-uncount Hold is used in expressions such as grab hold of, catch hold of, and get hold of, to indicate that you close your hand tightly around something, for example to stop something moving or falling.
N of n
I was woken up by someone grabbing hold of my sleeping bag..., A doctor and a nurse caught hold of his arms...
3 verb When you hold someone, you put your arms round them, usually because you want to show them how much you like them or because you want to comfort them.
If only he would hold her close to him. V n adv, Also V n
4 verb If you hold someone in a particular position, you use force to keep them in that position and stop them from moving.
He then held the man in an armlock until police arrived... V n prep
I'd got two nurses holding me down. V n with adv, Also V n
5 n-count A hold is a particular way of keeping someone in a position using your own hands, arms, or legs.
...use of an unauthorized hold on a handcuffed suspect.
6 verb When you hold a part of your body, you put your hand on or against it, often because it hurts.
Soon she was crying bitterly about the pain and was holding her throat. V n
7 verb When you hold a part of your body in a particular position, you put it into that position and keep it there.
Hold your hands in front of your face... V n prep/adv
He walked at a rapid pace with his back straight and his head held erect. V-ed, Also V n adj
8 verb If one thing holds another in a particular position, it keeps it in that position.
...the wooden wedge which held the heavy door open... V n with adv
They used steel pins to hold everything in place. V n prep
9 verb If one thing is used to hold another, it is used to store it.
(=store)
Two knife racks hold her favourite knives. V n
10 n-count In a ship or aeroplane, a hold is a place where cargo or luggage is stored.
oft n N
A fire had been reported in the cargo hold.
11 verb If a place holds something, it keeps it available for reference or for future use.
The Small Firms Service holds an enormous amount of information on any business problem... V n
12 verb If something holds a particular amount of something, it can contain that amount.
no cont
One CD-ROM disk can hold over 100,000 pages of text. V n
13 verb If a vehicle holds the road well, it remains in close contact with the road and can be controlled safely and easily.
I thought the car held the road really well. V n adv, Also V n
