Part 5337

<blockquote>France, thou mayst <b>hold</b> a serpent by the tongue, . . . A fasting tiger safer by the tooth, Than keep in peace that hand which thou dost <b>hold</b>. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

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

<blockquote>We mean to <b>hold</b> what anciently we claim Of deity or empire. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To have; to possess; to be in possession of; to occupy; to derive title to; <as>as, to <ex>hold office</ex></as>.</def>

<blockquote>This noble merchant <b>held</b> a noble house. <i>Chaucer.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Of him to <b>hold</b> his seigniory for a yearly tribute. <i>Knolles.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>And now the strand, and now the plain, they <b>held</b>. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>To impose restraint upon; to limit in motion or action; to bind legally or morally; to confine; to restrain.</def>

<blockquote>We can not <b>hold</b> mortality's strong hand. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Death! what do'st? O,<b>hold</b> thy blow. <i>Grashaw.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>He hat not sufficient judgment and self-command to <b>hold</b> his tongue. <i>Macaulay.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>To maintain in being or action; to carry on; to prosecute, as a course of conduct or an argument; to continue; to sustain.</def>

<blockquote><b>Hold</b> not thy peace, and be not still. <i>Ps. lxxxiii. 1.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost, Shall <b>hold</b> their course. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

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

<blockquote>I would <b>hold</b> more talk with thee. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>7.</b> <def>To receive and retain; to contain as a vessel; <as>as, this pail <ex>holds</ex> milk</as>; hence, to be able to receive and retain; to have capacity or containing power for.</def>

<blockquote>Broken cisterns that can <b>hold</b> no water. <i>Jer. ii. 13.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>One sees more devils than vast hell can <b>hold</b>. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>8.</b> <def>To accept, as an opinion; to be the adherent of, openly or privately; to persist in, as a purpose; to maintain; to sustain.</def>

<blockquote>Stand fast and <b>hold</b> the traditions which ye have been taught. <i>2 Thes. ii.15.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>But still he <b>held</b> his purpose to depart. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>9.</b> <def>To consider; to regard; to esteem; to account; to think; to judge.</def>

<blockquote>I <b>hold</b> him but a fool. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>I shall never <b>hold</b> that man my friend. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>The Lord will not <b>hold</b> him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. <i>Ex. xx. 7. </i></blockquote>

<p><b>10.</b> <def>To bear, carry, or manage; <as>as he <ex>holds</ex> himself erect; he <ex>holds</ex> his head high.</as></def>

<blockquote>Let him <b>hold</b> his fingers thus. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>