Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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}.

Holding \Hold"ing\, n.
   1. The act or state of sustaining, grasping, or retaining.

   2. A tenure; a farm or other estate held of another.

   3. That which holds, binds, or influences. --Burke.

   4. The burden or chorus of a song. [Obs.] --Shak.

   {Holding note} (Mus.), a note sustained in one part, while
      the other parts move.

Source : WordNet®

holding
     adj : designed for (usually temporary) retention; "a holding pen";
           "a retaining wall" [syn: {retaining}]

holding
     n 1: the act of keeping in your possession [syn: {retention}, {keeping}]
     2: something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that
        is owned by someone; "that hat is my property"; "he is a
        man of property"; [syn: {property}, {belongings}, {material
        possession}]