What does “hold” mean?
- 1
verbto have something in your hand or arms
Can you hold my coffee for a second?
- 2
verbto organize and have an event such as a meeting or party
The company holds a meeting every Monday.
- 3
verbto contain a certain amount
This bottle holds two liters of water.
Hold at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb
- CEFR level
- A2 (elementary)
- Pronunciation
- /hoʊld/ · HOHLD
- Forms
- held, holding
How to use “hold” correctly
“Hold on” is a common phrase meaning “wait a moment”, especially on the phone.
Common phrases with “hold”
- hold hands
- hold a meeting
- hold on
- hold your breath
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Word family
- holder
- holding
Idioms with “hold”
- Hold out an olive branch: To make an offer of peace to end an argument or disagreement.
- Hold your horses: Wait a moment and don't act too quickly.
“hold” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- act verbA2to do something, especially to deal with a situation
- allow verbA2to give someone permission to do something
- become verbA2to begin to be something
- carry verbA2to hold something and take it with you from one place to another
- catch verbA2to take hold of something that is moving through the air
- continue verbA2to keep doing something or keep happening without stopping
- cover verbA2to put something over something else to protect or hide it
- create verbA2to make something new exist