Part 863

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 (?), 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.