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[hold one’s breath]{v. phr.} 1. To stop breathing for a moment when you are excited or nervous. •/The race was so close that everyone was holding his breath at the finish./ 2. To endure great nervousness, anxiety, or excitement. •/John held his breath for days before he got word that the college he chose had accepted him./

[hold one’s end up] or [hold up one’s end] or [keep one’s end up] or [keep up one’s end]{v. phr.}, {informal} To do your share of work; do your part. •/Mary washed the dishes so fast that Ann, who was drying them, couldn’t keep her end up./ •/Susan kept up her end of the conversation, but Bill did not talk very much./ •/Bob said he would lend me his bicycle if I repaired the flat tire, but he didn’t keep up his end of the bargain./

[hold one’s fire] or [hold fire]{v. phr.} To keep back arguments or facts; keep from telling something. •/Tow could have hurt Fred by telling what he knew, but he held his fire./ •/Mary held fire until she had enough information to convince the other club members./

[hold one’s head up]{v. phr.} To show self-respect; not be ashamed; be proud. •/When Mr. Murray had paid off his debts, he felt that he could hold his head up again./

[hold one’s horses]{v. phr.}, {informal} To stop; wait; be patient. — Usually used as a command. May be considered rude. •/"Hold your horses!" Mr. Jones said to David when David wanted to call the police./

[hold one’s nose to the grindstone] See: KEEP ONE’S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.

[hold one’s own]{v. phr.} To keep your position; avoid losing ground; keep your advantage, wealth, or condition without loss. •/Mr. Smith could not build up his business, but he held his own./ •/The team held its own after the first quarter./ •/Mary had a hard time after the operation, but soon she was holding her own./

[hold one’s peace]{v. phr.}, {formal} To be silent and not speak against something; be still; keep quiet. •/I did not agree with the teacher, but held my peace as he was rather angry./ Compare: HOLD ONE’S TONGUE

[hold one’s temper] or [keep one’s temper]{v. phr.} To make yourself be quiet and peaceful; not become angry. •/The meeting will go smoothly if the president keeps his temper./ •/Dave can’t keep his temper when he drives in heavy traffic./ Contrast: LOSE ONE’S TEMPER, BLOW ONE’S STACK.

[hold one’s tongue]{v. phr.} To be silent; keep still; not talk. — May be considered rude. •/The teacher told Fred to hold his tongue./ •/If people would hold their tongues from unkind speech, fewer people would be hurt/

[hold on to]{v. phr.} 1a. or [hold to] To continue to hold or keep; hold tightly. •/When Jane played horse with her father, she held on to him tightly./ •/The teacher said that if we believed something was true and good we should hold on to it./ •/The old man held on to his job stubbornly and would not retire./ 1b. To stay in control of. •/Ann was so frightened that she had to hold on to herself not to scream./ Contrast: LET GO. 2. To continue to sing or sound. •/The singer held on to the last note of the song for a long time./

[hold on to your hat] See: HANG ON TO YOUR HAT.

[holdout]{n.} A rebel who refuses to go with the majority. •/Sam was a lone holdout in town; he refused to sell his old lakefront cottage to make place for a skyscraper./

[hold out]{v. phr.} 1. To put forward; reach out; extend; offer. •/Mr. Ryan held out his hand in welcome./ •/The clerk held out a dress for Martha to try on./ •/The Company held out many fine promises to Jack in order to get him to work for them./ 2. To keep resisting; not yield; refuse to give up. •/The city held out for six months under siege./ Compare: HANG ON, HOLD ON. 3. To refuse to agree or settle until one’s wishes have been agreed to. •/The strikers held out for a raise of five cents an hour./ 4. {slang} To keep something from; refuse information or belongings to which someone has a right. •/Mr. Porters partner held out on him when the big payment came in./ •/Mother gave Bobby cookies for all the children in the yard, but he held out on them and ate the cookies himself./ •/John knew that the family would go to the beach Saturday, but he held out on his brother./

[hold out an olive branch] See: BURY THE HATCHET.

[holdover]{n.} 1. A successful movie or theater production that plays longer than originally planned. •/Because of its great popularity. Star Wars was a holdover in most movie theaters./ 2. A reservation not used at the lime intended, but used later. •/They kept my seat at the opera as a holdover because I am a patron./

[hold over]{v.} 1. To remain or keep in office past the end of the term. •/The city treasurer held over for six months when the new treasurer died suddenly./ •/The new President held the members of the Cabinet over for some time before appointing new members./ 2. To extend the engagement of; keep longer. •/The theater held over the feature film for another two weeks./ 3. To delay action on; to postpone: to defer. •/The directors held over their decision until they could get more information./

[hold still]{v. phr.} To remain motionless. •/"Hold still," the dentist said. "This won’t hurt you at all."/

[hold the bag]{v. phr.} To be made liable for or victimized. •/We went out to dinner together but when it was time to pay I was left holding the bag./

[hold the fort]{v. phr.} 1. To defend a fort successfully; fight off attackers. •/The little group held the fort for days until help came./ 2. {informal} To keep a position against opposing forces. •/Friends of civil liberties held the fort during a long debate./ 3. {informal} to keep service or operations going •/It was Christmas Eve, and a few workers held the fort in the office./ •/Mother and Father went out and told the children to hold the fort./

[hold the line]{v. phr.} To keep a situation or trouble from getting worse; hold steady; prevent a setback or loss. •/The mayor held the line on taxes./ •/The company held the line on employment./

[hold the stage][v. phr.] 1. To continue to be produced and to attract audiences. •/"Peter Pan" holds the stage year after year at its annual Christmas showing in London./ 2. To be active in a group; attract attention. •/We had only an hour to discuss the question and Mr. Jones held the stage for most of it./ •/Jane likes to hold the stage at any party or meeting, so she does and says anything./

[hold to] See: HOLD ON TO.

[hold true] or [hold good]{v. phr.} To remain true. •/It has always held true that man cannot live without laws./ •/Bob is a good boy and that holds true of Jim./

[holdup]{n.} 1. Robbery. •/John fell victim to a highway holdup./ 2. A delay, as on a crowded highway. •/Boy we’re late! What’s causing this holdup?/

[hold up]{v.} 1. To raise; lift. •/John held up his hand./ 2. To support; hear; carry. •/The chair was too weak to hold up Mrs. Smith./ 3. To show; call attention to; exhibit. •/The teacher held up excellent models of composition for her class to imitate./ 4. To check; stop; delay. •/The wreck held up traffic on the railroad’s main line tracks./ 5. {informal} To rob at gunpoint. •/Masked men held up the bank./ 6. To keep one’s courage or spirits up; remain calm; keep control of oneself. •/The grieving mother held up for her children’s sake./ 7. To remain good; not get worse. •/Sales held up well./ •/Our team’s luck held up and they won the game./ •/The weather held up and the game was played./ 8. To prove true. •/The police were doubtful at first, but Tony’s story held up./ 9. To delay action; defer; postpone. Often used with "on". •/The college held up on plans for the building until more money came in./ •/The President held up on the news until he was sure of it./