hold

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   power by which something or someone is affected or dominated

   The emperor has a hold over them.

2. 2
   verb

   keep from exhaling or expelling

   hold your breath

3. 3
   verb

   remain committed to

   I hold to these ideas

4. 4
   verb

   assert or affirm

   Rousseau's philosophy holds that people are inherently good

5. 5
   verb

   drink alcohol without showing ill effects

   They can hold their liquor.

6. 6
   verb

   to close within bounds, limit or hold back from movement

   This holds the local until the express passengers change trains

7. 7
   verb

   support in a certain manner

   I held my head high.

8. 8
   verb

   organize or be responsible for

   hold a reception

Etymology

Derived from Middle English holden, derived from Old English healdan, derived from Proto-West Germanic *haldan, derived from Proto-Germanic *haldaną (“to tend, herd”), maybe derived from Proto-Indo-European *kel- (“to drive”). Doublet of halt. Cognates *West Frisian hâlde *Low German holden, holen *Dutch houden *German halten *Danish *Norwegian Bokmål holde *Norwegian Nynorsk halda. Compare Latin celer (“quick”), Tocharian B käl- (“to goad, drive”), Ancient Greek κέλλω (kéllō, “to drive”), Sanskrit कलयति (kalayati, “to impel”).