holdfast

Multiple Entries:
  holdfast    hold  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
holdfast/ˈhəʊl(d)fɑːst/

▶noun

• 1 a staple or clamp securing an object.

• 2 Biology a stalked organ by which a simple aquatic organism attaches itself to a substrate.

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

• 1 wait; stop.

• 2 keep going in difficult circumstances.

hold out

• 1 resist difficult circumstances.

• 2 continue to be sufficient.

hold out for continue to demand.
hold out on informal refuse to give information to.
hold something over

• 1 postpone something.

• 2 use information to threaten.

hold up remain strong or vigorous.
hold someone/thing up

• 1 delay the progress of someone or something.

• 2 rob someone using the threat of violence.

• 3 present someone or something as an example.

hold with [with neg.] informal approve of.

– derivatives
holdable adjective,
holder noun.

– origin OE haldan, healdan, of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
hold2

▶noun a storage space in the lower part of a ship or aircraft.

– origin C16: from obs. holl, from OE hol (see hole); the -d was added by assoc. with hold1.