Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Hold \Hold\, v. t.

   {To hold up}. To stop in order to rob, often with the demand
      to hold up the hands. [Colloq.] Hole \Hole\, n. (Games)
   (a) A small cavity used in some games, usually one into which
       a marble or ball is to be played or driven; hence, a
       score made by playing a marble or ball into such a hole,
       as in golf.
   (b) (Fives) At Eton College, England, that part of the floor
       of the court between the step and the pepperbox.

Hold \Hold\, n. [D. hol hole, hollow. See {Hole}.] (Naut.)
   The whole interior portion of a vessel below the lower deck,
   in which the cargo is stowed.

Hold \Hold\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Held}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Holding}. {Holden}, p. p., is obs. in elegant writing,
   though still used in legal language.] [OE. haldan, D. houden,
   OHG. hoten, Icel. halda, Dan. holde, Sw. h[*a]lla, Goth.
   haldan to feed, tend (the cattle); of unknown origin. Gf.
   {Avast}, {Halt}, {Hod}.]
   1. To cause to remain in a given situation, position, or
      relation, within certain limits, or the like; to prevent
      from falling or escaping; to sustain; to restrain; to keep
      in the grasp; to retain.

            The loops held one curtain to another. --Ex. xxxvi.
                                                  12.

            Thy right hand shall hold me.         --Ps. cxxxix.
                                                  10.

            They all hold swords, being expert in war. --Cant.
                                                  iii. 8.

            In vain he seeks, that having can not hold.
                                                  --Spenser.

            France, thou mayst hold a serpent by the tongue, . .
            . A fasting tiger safer by the tooth, Than keep in
            peace that hand which thou dost hold. --Shak.

   2. To retain in one's keeping; to maintain possession of, or
      authority over; not to give up or relinquish; to keep; to
      defend.

            We mean to hold what anciently we claim Of deity or
            empire.                               --Milton.

   3. To have; to possess; to be in possession of; to occupy; to
      derive title to; as, to hold office.

            This noble merchant held a noble house. --Chaucer.

            Of him to hold his seigniory for a yearly tribute.
                                                  --Knolles.

            And now the strand, and now the plain, they held.
                                                  --Dryden.

   4. To impose restraint upon; to limit in motion or action; to
      bind legally or morally; to confine; to restrain.

            We can not hold mortality's strong hand. --Shak.

            Death! what do'st? O,hold thy blow.   --Grashaw.

            He hat not sufficient judgment and self-command to
            hold his tongue.                      --Macaulay.

   5. To maintain in being or action; to carry on; to prosecute,
      as a course of conduct or an argument; to continue; to
      sustain.

            Hold not thy peace, and be not still. --Ps. lxxxiii.
                                                  1.

            Seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost, Shall
            hold their course.                    --Milton.

   6. To prosecute, have, take, or join in, as something which
      is the result of united action; as to, hold a meeting, a
      festival, a session, etc.; hence, to direct and bring
      about officially; to conduct or preside at; as, the
      general held a council of war; a judge holds a court; a
      clergyman holds a service.

            I would hold more talk with thee.     --Shak.

   7. To receive and retain; to contain as a vessel; as, this
      pail holds milk; hence, to be able to receive and retain;
      to have capacity or containing power for.

            Broken cisterns that can hold no water. --Jer. ii.
                                                  13.

            One sees more devils than vast hell can hold.
                                                  --Shak.

   8. To accept, as an opinion; to be the adherent of, openly or
      privately; to persist in, as a purpose; to maintain; to
      sustain.

            Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have
            been taught.                          --2 Thes.
                                                  ii.15.

            But still he held his purpose to depart. --Dryden.

   9. To consider; to regard; to esteem; to account; to think;
      to judge.

            I hold him but a fool.                --Shak.

            I shall never hold that man my friend. --Shak.

            The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his
            name in vain.                         --Ex. xx. 7.

   10. To bear, carry, or manage; as he holds himself erect; he
       holds his head high.

             Let him hold his fingers thus.       --Shak.

   {To hold a wager}, to lay or hazard a wager. --Swift.

   {To hold forth}, to offer; to exhibit; to propose; to put
      forward. ``The propositions which books hold forth and
      pretend to teach.'' --Locke.

   {To held in}, to restrain; to curd.

   {To hold in hand}, to toy with; to keep in expectation; to
      have in one's power. [Obs.]

            O, fie! to receive favors, return falsehoods, And
            hold a lady in hand.                  --Beaw. & Fl.

   {To hold in play}, to keep under control; to dally with.
      --Macaulay.

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

   {To hold on}, to hold in being, continuance or position; as,
      to hold a rider on.

   {To hold one's day}, to keep one's appointment. [Obs.]
      --Chaucer.

   {To hold one's own}.

Hold \Hold\, n. i.
   In general, to keep one's self in a given position or
   condition; to remain fixed. Hence:

   1. Not to more; to halt; to stop;-mostly in the imperative.

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

   2. Not to give way; not to part or become separated; to
      remain unbroken or unsubdued.

            Our force by land hath nobly held.    --Shak.

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

            While our obedience holds.            --Milton.

            The rule holds in land as all other commodities.
                                                  --Locke.

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

            He will hold to the one and despise the other.
                                                  --Matt. vi. 24

   5. To restrain one's self; to refrain.

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

   6. To derive right or title; -- generally with of.

            My crown is absolute, and holds of none. --Dryden.

            His imagination holds immediately from nature.
                                                  --Hazlitt.

   {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 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.

Hold \Hold\, n.
   1. The act of holding, as in or with the hands or arms; the
      manner of holding, whether firm or loose; seizure; grasp;
      clasp; gripe; possession; -- often used with the verbs
      take and lay.

            Ne have I not twelve pence within mine hold.
                                                  --Chaucer.

            Thou should'st lay hold upon him.     --B. Jonson.

            My soul took hold on thee.            --Addison.

            Take fast hold of instruction.        --Pror. iv.
                                                  13.

   2. The authority or ground to take or keep; claim.

            The law hath yet another hold on you. --Shak.

   3. Binding power and influence.

            Fear . . . by which God and his laws take the surest
            hold of.                              --Tillotson.

   4. Something that may be grasped; means of support.

            If a man be upon an high place without rails or good
            hold, he is ready to fall.            --Bacon.

   5. A place of confinement; a prison; confinement; custody;
      guard.

            They . . . put them in hold unto the next day.
                                                  --Acts. iv. 3.

            King Richard, he is in the mighty hold Of
            Bolingbroke.                          --Shak.

   6. A place of security; a fortified place; a fort; a castle;
      -- often called a {stronghold}. --Chaucer.

            New comers in an ancient hold         --Tennyson.

   7. (Mus.) A character [thus ?] placed over or under a note or
      rest, and indicating that it is to be prolonged; -- called
      also {pause}, and {corona}.

Source : WordNet®

hold
     n 1: the act of grasping; "he released his clasp on my arm"; "he
          has a strong grip for an old man"; "she kept a firm hold
          on the railing" [syn: {clasp}, {clench}, {clutch}, {clutches},
           {grasp}, {grip}]
     2: understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or
        magnitude of something; "he has a good grasp of accounting
        practices" [syn: {appreciation}, {grasp}]
     3: power by which something or someone is affected or
        dominated; "he has a hold over them"
     4: time during which some action is awaited; "instant replay
        caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the
        action" [syn: {delay}, {time lag}, {postponement}, {wait}]
     5: a state of being confined (usually for a short time); "his
        detention was politically motivated"; "the prisoner is on
        hold"; "he is in the custody of police" [syn: {detention},
         {custody}]
     6: a stronghold
     7: a cell in a jail or prison [syn: {keep}]
     8: the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in
        order to use or move it; "he grabbed the hammer by the
        handle"; "it was an old briefcase but it still had a good
        grip" [syn: {handle}, {grip}, {handgrip}]
     9: the space in a ship or aircraft for storing cargo [syn: {cargo
        area}, {cargo deck}, {cargo hold}, {storage area}]
     [also: {held}]

hold
     v 1: organize or be responsible for; "hold a reception"; "have,
          throw, or make a party"; "give a course" [syn: {throw},
          {have}, {make}, {give}]
     2: keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep
        clean"; "hold in place"; "She always held herself as a
        lady"; "The students keep me on my toes" [syn: {keep}, {maintain}]
     3: have or hold in one's hands or grip; "Hold this bowl for a
        moment, please"; "A crazy idea took hold of him" [syn: {take
        hold}] [ant: {let go of}]
     4: to close within bounds, limit or hold back from movement;
        "This holds the local until the express passengers change
        trains"; "About a dozen animals were held inside the
        stockade"; "The illegal immigrants were held at a
        detention center"; "The terrorists held the journalists
        for ransom" [syn: {restrain}, {confine}]
     5: have rightfully; of rights, titles, and offices; "She bears
        the title of Duchess"; "He held the governorship for
        almost a decade" [syn: {bear}]
     6: have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense;
        "She has $1,000 in the bank"; "He has got two beautiful
        daughters"; "She holds a Master's degree from Harvard"
        [syn: {have}, {have got}]
     7: keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view; "take for
        granted"; "view as important"; "hold these truths to be
        self-evident"; "I hold him personally responsible" [syn: {deem},
         {view as}, {take for}]
     8: contain or hold; have within; "The jar carries wine"; "The
        canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water"
        [syn: {bear}, {carry}, {contain}]
     9: lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or
        keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold
        your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger"
        [syn: {control}, {hold in}, {contain}, {check}, {curb}, {moderate}]
     10: remain in a certain state, position, or condition; "The
         weather held"; "They held on the road and kept marching"
     11: maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings); "bear a grudge";
         "entertain interesting notions"; "harbor a resentment"
         [syn: {harbor}, {harbour}, {entertain}, {nurse}]
     12: assert or affirm; "Rousseau's philosophy holds that people
         are inherently good"
     13: remain committed to; "I hold to these ideas"
     14: secure and keep for possible future use or application; "The
         landlord retained the security deposit"; "I reserve the
         right to disagree" [syn: {retain}, {keep back}, {hold
         back}]
     15: be the physical support of; carry the weight of; "The beam
         holds up the roof"; "He supported me with one hand while
         I balanced on the beam"; "What's holding that mirror?"
         [syn: {support}, {sustain}, {hold up}]
     16: hold the attention of; "The soprano held the audience";
         "This story held our interest"; "She can hold an audience
         spellbound"
     17: keep from exhaling or expelling; "hold your breath"
     18: support or hold in a certain manner; "She holds her head
         high"; "He carried himself upright" [syn: {carry}, {bear}]
     19: have room for; hold without crowding; "This hotel can
         accommodate 250 guests"; "The theater admits 300 people";
         "The auditorium can't hold more than 500 people" [syn: {accommodate},
          {admit}]
     20: be capable of holding or containing; "This box won't take
         all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon" [syn: {contain},
          {take}]
     21: be valid, applicable, or true; "This theory still holds"
         [syn: {prevail}, {obtain}]
     22: take and maintain control over, often by violent means; "The
         dissatisfied students held the President's office for
         almost a week"
     23: protect against a challenge or attack; "Hold that position
         behind the trees!"; "Hold the bridge against the enemy's
         attacks" [syn: {defend}, {guard}]
     24: declare to be; "She was declared incompetent"; "judge held
         that the defendant was innocent" [syn: {declare}, {adjudge}]
     25: have as a major characteristic; "The novel holds many
         surprises"; "The book holds in store much valuable
         advise"
     26: cause to stop; "Halt the engines"; "Arrest the progress";
         "halt the presses" [syn: {halt}, {arrest}]
     27: bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted; "He's held by a
         contract"; "I'll hold you by your promise" [syn: {oblige},
          {bind}, {obligate}]
     28: cover as for protection against noise or smell; "She held
         her ears when the jackhammer started to operate"; "hold
         one's nose"
     29: drink alcohol without showing ill effects; "He can hold his
         liquor"; "he had drunk more than he could carry" [syn: {carry}]
     30: be pertinent or relevant or applicable; "The same laws apply
         to you!"; "This theory holds for all irrational numbers";
         "The same rules go for everyone" [syn: {apply}, {go for}]
     31: arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in
         advance; "reserve me a seat on a flight"; "The agent
         booked tickets to the show for the whole family"; "please
         hold a table at Maxim's" [syn: {reserve}, {book}]
     32: resist or confront with resistance; "The politician defied
         public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the
         greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held" [syn: {defy},
         {withstand}, {hold up}]
     33: keep from departing; "Hold the taxi"; "Hold the horse"
     34: stop dealing with; "hold all calls to the President's office
         while he is in a meeting"
     35: aim, point, or direct; "Hold the fire extinguisher directly
         on the flames"
     36: be in accord; be in agreement; "We agreed on the terms of
         the settlement"; "I can't agree with you!"; "I hold with
         those who say life is sacred"; "Both philosophers concord
         on this point" [syn: {agree}, {concur}, {concord}] [ant:
         {disagree}]
     [also: {held}]