What does hold mean?

What does hold mean?. The world's largest and most trusted free online dictionary: definitions, synonyms, word origins, example sentences, word games, and more.

What does hold mean? - The Free Dictionary

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[n] the act of grasping(he released his clasp on my arm he has a strong grip for an old man she kept a firm hold on the railing)[v] keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g.,(keep clean hold in place She always held herself as a lady The students keep me on my toes)[n] understan

hold

hold - The Free Dictionary

[n] the act of grasping
(he released his clasp on my arm he has a strong grip for an old man she kept a firm hold on the railing)

[v] keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g.,
(keep clean hold in place She always held herself as a lady The students keep me on my toes)

[n] understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something
(he has a good grasp of accounting practices)

[v] have or hold in one's hands or grip
(Hold this bowl for a moment, please A crazy idea took hold of him)

[n] power by which something or someone is affected or dominated
(he has a hold over them)

[v] organize or be responsible for
(hold a reception have, throw, or make a party give a course)

[n] time during which some action is awaited
(instant replay caused too long a delay he ordered a hold in the action)

[v] have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense
(She has $1,000 in the bank He has got two beautiful daughters She holds a Master's degree from Harvard)

[n] a state of being confined (usually for a short time)
(his detention was politically motivated the prisoner is on hold he is in the custody of police)

[v] keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view
(take for granted view as important hold these truths to be self-evident I hold him personally responsible)

[n] a stronghold

[v] maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
(bear a grudge entertain interesting notions harbor a resentment)

[n] a cell in a jail or prison

[v] to close within bounds, limit or hold back from movement
(This holds the local until the express passengers change trains About a dozen animals were held inside the stockade The illegal immigrants were held at a detention center The terrorists held the journalists for ransom)

[n] the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it
(he grabbed the hammer by the handle it was an old briefcase but it still had a good grip)

[v] secure and keep for possible future use or application
(The landlord retained the security deposit I reserve the right to disagree)

[n] the space in a ship or aircraft for storing cargo

[v] have rightfully; of rights, titles, and offices
(She bears the title of Duchess He held the governorship for almost a decade)

[v] be the physical support of; carry the weight of
(The beam holds up the roof He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam What's holding that mirror?)

[v] contain or hold; have within
(The jar carries wine The canteen holds fresh water This can contains water)

[v] have room for; hold without crowding
(This hotel can accommodate 250 guests The theater admits 300 people The auditorium can't hold more than 500 people)

[v] remain in a certain state, position, or condition
(The weather held They held on the road and kept marching)

[v] support or hold in a certain manner
(She holds her head high He carried himself upright)

[v] be valid, applicable, or true
(This theory still holds)

[v] assert or affirm
(Rousseau's philosophy holds that people are inherently good)

[v] have as a major characteristic
(The novel holds many surprises The book holds in store much valuable advise)

[v] be capable of holding or containing
(This box won't take all the items The flask holds one gallon)

[v] arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance
(reserve me a seat on a flight The agent booked tickets to the show for the whole family please hold a table at Maxim's)

[v] protect against a challenge or attack
(Hold that position behind the trees! Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks)

[v] bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted
(He's held by a contract I'll hold you by your promise)

[v] hold the attention of
(The soprano held the audience This story held our interest She can hold an audience spellbound)

[v] remain committed to
(I hold to these ideas)

[v] resist or confront with resistance
(The politician defied public opinion The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear The bridge held)

[v] be pertinent or relevant or applicable
(The same laws apply to you! This theory holds for all irrational numbers The same rules go for everyone)

[v] stop dealing with
(hold all calls to the President's office while he is in a meeting)

[v] lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits
(moderate your alcohol intake hold your tongue hold your temper control your anger)

[v] keep from departing
(Hold the taxi Hold the horse)

[v] take and maintain control over, often by violent means
(The dissatisfied students held the President's office for almost a week)

[v] cause to stop
(Halt the engines Arrest the progress halt the presses)

[v] cover as for protection against noise or smell
(She held her ears when the jackhammer started to operate hold one's nose)

[v] drink alcohol without showing ill effects
(He can hold his liquor he had drunk more than he could carry)

[v] aim, point, or direct
(Hold the fire extinguisher directly on the flames)

[v] declare to be
(She was declared incompetent judge held that the defendant was innocent)

[v] be in accord; be in agreement
(We agreed on the terms of the settlement I can't agree with you! I hold with those who say life is sacred Both philosophers concord on this point)

[v] keep from exhaling or expelling
(hold your breath)

Other vocabulary

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Dictionary

A dictionary is a listing of lexemes from the lexicon of one or more specific languages, often arranged alphabetically (or by consonantal root for Semitic languages or radical and stroke for ideographic languages), which may include information on definitions, usage, etymologies, pronunciations, translation, etc. It is a lexicographical reference that shows inter-relationships among the data.

A broad distinction is made between general and specialized dictionaries. Specialized dictionaries include words in specialist fields, rather than a complete range of words in the language. Lexical items that describe concepts in specific fields are usually called terms instead of words, although there is no consensus whether lexicology and terminology are two different fields of study. In theory, general dictionaries are supposed[citation needed] to be semasiological, mapping word to definition, while specialized dictionaries are supposed to be onomasiological, first identifying concepts and then establishing the terms used to designate them. In practice, the two approaches are used for both types. There are other types of dictionaries that do not fit neatly into the above distinction, for instance bilingual (translation) dictionaries, dictionaries of synonyms (thesauri), and rhyming dictionaries. The word dictionary (unqualified) is usually understood to refer to a general purpose monolingual dictionary.

There is also a contrast between prescriptive or descriptive dictionaries; the former reflect what is seen as correct use of the language while the latter reflect recorded actual use. Stylistic indications (e.g. "informal" or "vulgar") in many modern dictionaries are also considered by some to be less than objectively descriptive.

The first recorded dictionaries date back to Sumerian times around 2300 BCE, in the form of bilingual dictionaries, and the oldest surviving monolingual dictionaries are Chinese dictionaries c. 3rd century BCE. The first purely English alphabetical dictionary was A Table Alphabeticall, written in 1604, and monolingual dictionaries in other languages also began appearing in Europe at around this time. The systematic study of dictionaries as objects of scientific interest arose as a 20th-century enterprise, called lexicography, and largely initiated by Ladislav Zgusta. The birth of the new discipline was not without controversy, with the practical dictionary-makers being sometimes accused by others of having an "astonishing" lack of method and critical-self reflection.