hold out
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See also: holdout
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Verb
[edit]hold out (third-person singular simple present holds out, present participle holding out, simple past and past participle held out)
- (transitive, literally) To hold (something) out; to extend (something) forward.
- He held out his hand, and I grabbed it.
- 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
- I held out my hand, and the horrible, soft-spoken, eyeless creature gripped it in a moment like a vise. I was so much startled that I struggled to withdraw; but the blind man pulled me close up to him with a single action of his arm.
- 1991, “Jesus Christ Pose”, in Chris Cornell (lyrics), Soundgarden (music), Badmotorfinger, performed by Soundgarden, Track 4:
- And you stare at me
In your Jesus Christ pose
Arms held out
Like you've been carrying a load
- (figuratively) To offer, present (a hope, possibility, opportunity etc.)
- The prospectus held out the promise of enormous profits to be made.
- (idiomatic, often with for) To wait, or refuse in hopes of getting something better (from a negotiation, etc.)
- I am holding out for more money.
- How long has he been holding out?
- (idiomatic) To survive, endure.
- How long can they hold out without water?
- 2011 September 2, “Wales 2-1 Montenegro”, in BBC[1]:
- Stevan Jovetic gave Montenegro hope when he unleashed a pile-driver but Wales held out for a much-needed win.
- 2023 October 28, Leighton Koopman, “YES!!! The Springboks beat the All Blacks to win another Rugby World Cup title”, in Independent Online[2]:
- For the third game in a row, the Boks held out with just one point after seeing off France and England in the quarters and semis respectively.
- (idiomatic, usually with on) To withhold something.
- You've got a key! Why have you been holding out on me?
- (transitive) To set aside something or save it for later.
- Pack the boxes, but hold out a few blue ones for later.
Translations
[edit]to wait for something better
endure
withhold something
|
to save something for later
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked: "to hold"
Noun
[edit]- Alternative spelling of holdout.