To hold off

To hold off
Hold Hold, v. i. In general, to keep one's self in a given position or condition; to remain fixed. Hence: [1913 Webster]

1. Not to move; to halt; to stop; -- mostly in the imperative. [1913 Webster]

And damned be him that first cries, ``Hold, enough!'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. Not to give way; not to part or become separated; to remain unbroken or unsubdued. [1913 Webster]

Our force by land hath nobly held. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. Not to fail or be found wanting; to continue; to last; to endure a test or trial; to abide; to persist. [1913 Webster]

While our obedience holds. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

The rule holds in land as all other commodities. --Locke. [1913 Webster]

4. Not to fall away, desert, or prove recreant; to remain attached; to cleave; -- often with with, to, or for. [1913 Webster]

He will hold to the one and despise the other. --Matt. vi. 24 [1913 Webster]

5. To restrain one's self; to refrain. [1913 Webster]

His dauntless heart would fain have held From weeping, but his eyes rebelled. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

6. To derive right or title; -- generally with of. [1913 Webster]

My crown is absolute, and holds of none. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

His imagination holds immediately from nature. --Hazlitt. [1913 Webster]

{Hold on!} {Hold up!} wait; stop; forbear. [Collog] -- {To hold forth}, to speak in public; to harangue; to preach. --L'Estrange.

{To hold in}, to restrain one's self; as, he wanted to laugh and could hardly hold in.

{To hold off}, to keep at a distance.

{To hold on}, to keep fast hold; to continue; to go on. ``The trade held on for many years,'' --Swift.

{To hold out}, to last; to endure; to continue; to maintain one's self; not to yield or give way.

{To hold over}, to remain in office, possession, etc., beyond a certain date.

{To hold to} or {To hold with}, to take sides with, as a person or opinion.

{To hold together}, to be joined; not to separate; to remain in union. --Dryden. --Locke.

{To hold up}. (a) To support one's self; to remain unbent or unbroken; as, to hold up under misfortunes. (b) To cease raining; to cease to stop; as, it holds up. --Hudibras. (c) To keep up; not to fall behind; not to lose ground. --Collier. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • hold off — hold back / hold off [v] repress bit, bridle, check, control, curb, defer, delay, deny, forbear, hold down, hold in, inhibit, keep, keep back, keep out, postpone, prevent, put off, refrain, refuse, restrain, stop, suppress, withhold; concepts 121 …   New thesaurus

  • hold off something — hold off (something) to delay something. They re hoping to hold off surgery until he s stronger. I hope the rain holds off until we get home …   New idioms dictionary

  • hold off — (something) to delay something. They re hoping to hold off surgery until he s stronger. I hope the rain holds off until we get home …   New idioms dictionary

  • hold off — ► hold off 1) resist (an attacker o r challenge). 2) postpone (an action or decision). 3) (of bad weather) fail to occur. Main Entry: ↑hold …   English terms dictionary

  • hold off — index cease, counter, defer (put off), doubt (hesitate), forbear, parry, pause …   Law dictionary

  • hold off — phrasal verb Word forms hold off : present tense I/you/we/they hold off he/she/it holds off present participle holding off past tense held off past participle held off 1) [intransitive] to deliberately delay doing something He may decide to hold… …   English dictionary

  • hold off — UK US hold off Phrasal Verb with hold({{}}/həʊld/ verb (held, held) ► [I or T] to wait for a period of time before doing something: hold off on sth »Holding off on the product release meant missing sales targets for the year. »Let s hold off… …   Financial and business terms

  • hold off — verb 1. resist and fight to a standoff (Freq. 3) Dallas had enough of a lead to hold the Broncos off • Hypernyms: ↑resist, ↑hold out, ↑withstand, ↑stand firm • Verb Frames …   Useful english dictionary

  • hold off — 1) PHRASAL VERB If you hold off doing something, you delay doing it or delay making a decision about it. [V P ing] The hospital staff held off taking Rosenbaum in for an X ray... [V P] They have threatened military action but held off until now.… …   English dictionary

  • hold off — verb a) To delay someone or something temporarily; to keep at bay. Lets try to hold off the lawyers until we are ready for them. b) To delay commencing (an action until some specified time or event has passed). Hold off the decision one more day… …   Wiktionary

  • hold off — 1) delay, not begin The concert will be held off until next week. 2) keep away by force The man was able to hold off the police for several hours before he was arrested …   Idioms and examples

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