hold - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

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hold:

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For the verb: "to hold"

Simple Past:	held
Past Participle:	held

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
hold1

▶verb (past and past part. held)

1 grasp, carry, or support.

2 keep in a specified position: I held the door open for him.
■ remain secure or intact: the boat's anchor would not hold.

3 keep or detain.
■ have in one's possession.

■ have or occupy (a job or position).

■ (in sport) manage to achieve a draw against.

■ have in store: I don't know what the future holds.

4 continue to follow (a course).
■ stay or cause to stay at a certain value or level.

■ (hold to) refuse to abandon or change (a principle).

■ (hold someone to) cause someone to adhere to (a commitment).

■ be or remain valid or available: I'll have that coffee now, if the offer still holds.

5 contain or be capable of containing.
■ be able to drink (a reasonable amount of alcohol) without suffering ill effects.

6 have (a belief or opinion).
■ (hold someone/thing in) regard someone or something with (a specified feeling): the speed limit is held in contempt.

■ consider to be responsible for a situation.

■ (of a judge or court) rule; decide: the Court held that the public sector was covered by the directive.

7 keep or reserve.
■ maintain (a telephone connection).

8 prevent from going ahead or occurring.
■ N. Amer. informal refrain from adding or using.

■ (hold it) informal wait or stop doing something.

9 arrange and take part in (a meeting or conversation).

▶noun

1 a grip.

2 a handhold.

3 a degree of power or control.

– phrases
be left holding the baby (or N. Amer. bag) informal be left with an unwelcome responsibility.
get hold of grasp.

■ informal find or contact.

hold court be the centre of attention.
hold something dear value something greatly.
hold fast remain tightly secured.

■ continue to adhere to a principle.

hold the fort take responsibility for something temporarily.
hold good (or true) remain true or valid.
hold hard Brit. stop or wait.
hold someone/thing harmless Law indemnify someone or something.
hold one's horses informal wait a moment.
hold the line not yield to pressure.
hold someone to bail Law bind someone by bail.
hold one's tongue informal remain silent.
hold water (of a theory) appear sound.
no holds barred

1 (in wrestling) with no restrictions on the kinds of holds that are used.

2 without rules or restrictions.

on hold

1 waiting to be connected by telephone.

2 left pending.

take hold start to have an effect.

– phrasal verbs
hold something against allow past events to have a negative influence on one's present attitude towards.
hold back hesitate.
hold something down informal succeed in keeping a job.
hold forth talk at length or tediously.
hold off (of bad weather) fail to occur.
hold someone/thing off resist an attacker or challenge.

■ postpone an action or decision.

hold on