1. [n]  the act of grasping; "he released his clasp on my arm"; "he has a strong grip for an old man"; "she kept a firm hold on the railing"
2. [n]  the space in a ship or aircraft for storing cargo
3. [n]  the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it; "he grabbed the hammer by the handle"; "it was an old briefcase but it still had
4. [n]  a cell in a jail or prison
5. [n]  (archaic) a stronghold
6. [n]  power by which something or someone is affected or dominated; "he has a hold over them"
7. [n]  understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something; "he has a good grasp of accounting practices"
8. [n]  a state of being confined (usually for a short time); "his detention was politically motivated"; "the prisoner is on hold"; "he is in the custody of police"
9. [n]  time during which some action is awaited; "instant replay caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the action"
10. [v]  keep from exhaling or expelling; "hold your breath"
11. [v]  remain committed to; "I hold to these ideas"
12. [v]  assert or affirm; "Rousseau's philosophy holds that people are inherently good"
13. [v]  keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view; "take for granted"; "view as important"; "hold these truths to be self-evident"; "I hold him personally responsible"
14. [v]  hold the attention of; "The soprano held the audience"; "This story held our interest"; "She can hold an audience spellbound"
15. [v]  be in accord; be in agreement; "We agreed on the terms of the settlement"; "I can't agree with you!"; "I hold with those you say life is sacred"; "Both philosophers concord on this point"
16. [v]  declare to be; "She was declared incompetent"; "judge held that the defendant was innocent"
17. [v]  bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted; "He's held by a contract"; "I'll hold you by your promise"
18. [v]  protect against a challenge or attack; "Hold that position behind the trees!"; "Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks"
19. [v]  aim, point, or direct; "Hold the fire extinguisher directly on the flames"
20. [v]  drink alcohol without showing ill effects; "He can hold his liquor"; "he had drunk more than he could carry"
21. [v]  have or hold in one's hands or grip; "Hold this bowl for a moment, please"; "A crazy idea took hold of him"
22. [v]  be the physical support of; carry the weight of; "The beam holds up the roof"; "He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam"; "What's holding that mirror?"
23. [v]  stop dealing with; "hold all calls to the President's office while he is in a meeting"
24. [v]  to close within bounds, limit or hold back from movement; "This holds the local until the express passengers change trains"; "About a dozen animals were held inside the stockade"; "The illegal immigrants were held at a detention center"; "The terrorists held the journalists for ransom"
25. [v]  cover as for protection against noise or smell; "She held her ears when the jackhammer started to operate"; "hold one's nose"
26. [v]  support or hold in a certain manner; "She holds her head high"; "He carried himself upright"
27. [v]  organize or be responsible for; "hold a reception"; "have, throw, or make a party"; "give a course", etc.
28. [v]  maintain; as of a theory, thoughts, or feelings; "bear a grudge"; "hold a grudge"
29. [v]  cause to stop; "Halt the engines"; "Arrest the progress"; "halt the presses"
30. [v]  have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense; "She has $1,000 in the bank"; "He has got two beautiful daughters"; "She holds a Master's degree from Harvard"
31. [v]  secure and keep for possible future use or application; "The landlord retained the security deposit"; "I reserve the right to disagree"
32. [v]  hold on to
33. [v]  have rightfully; of rights, titles, and offices; "She bears the title of Duchess"; "He held the governorship for almost a decade"
34. [v]  take and maintain control over, often by violent means; "The dissatisfied students held the President's office for almost a week"
35. [v]  keep from departing; "Hold the taxi"; "Hold the horse"
36. [v]  arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance; "reserve me a seat on a flight"; "The agent booked tickets to the show for the whole family"; "please hold a table at Maxim's"
37. [v]  lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger"
38. [v]  be valid, applicable, or true; "This theory still holds"
39. [v]  be pertinent or relevant or applicable; "The same laws apply to you!"; "This theory holds for all irrational numbers"; "The same rules go for everyone"
40. [v]  keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep clean"; "hold in place"; "She always held herself as a lady"; "The students keep me on my toes"
41. [v]  remain in a certain state, position, or condition; "The weather held"; "They held on the road and kept marching"
42. [v]  contain or hold; have within; "The jar carries wine"; "The canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water"
43. [v]  be capable of holding or containing; "This box won't take all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon"
44. [v]  resist or confront with resistance; "The politician defied public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held"
45. [v]  have room for; hold without crowding; "This hotel can accommodate 250 guests"; "The theater admits 300 people"; "The auditorium can't hold more than 500 people"
46. [v]  have as a major characteristic; "The novel holds many surprises"; "The book holds in store much valuable advise"

1. \Hold\, n. [D. hol hole, hollow. See {Hole}.] (Naut.)
   The whole interior portion of a vessel below the lower deck,
   in which the cargo is stowed.
   

2. \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}.
       (a) To keep good one's present condition absolutely or
           relatively; not to fall off, or to lose ground; as, a
           ship holds her own when she does not lose ground in a
           race or chase; a man holds his own when he does not
           lose strength or weight.
   {To hold one's peace}, to keep silence.
   {To hold out}.
       (a) To extend; to offer. ``Fortune holds out these to you
           as rewards.'' --B. Jonson.
       (b) To continue to do or to suffer; to endure. ``He can
           not long hold out these pangs.'' --Shak.
   {To hold up}.
       (a) To raise; to lift; as, hold up your head.
       (b) To support; to sustain. ``He holds himself up in
           virtue.''--Sir P. Sidney.
       (c) To exhibit; to display; as, he was held up as an
           example.
       (d) To rein in; to check; to halt; as, hold up your
           horses.
   {To hold water}.
       (a) Literally, to retain water without leaking; hence
           (Fig.), to be whole, sound, consistent, without gaps
           or holes; -- commonly used in a negative sense; as,
           his statements will not hold water. [Collog.]
       (b) (Naut.) To hold the oars steady in the water, thus
           checking the headway of a boat.
   

3. \Hold\, n. i.
   In general, to keep one's self in a given position or
   condition; to remain fixed. Hence:
   1. Not to more; to halt; to stop;-mostly in the imperative.
            And damned be him that first cries, ``Hold,
            enough!''                             --Shak.
   2. Not to give way; not to part or become separated; to
      remain unbroken or unsubdued.
            Our force by land hath nobly held.    --Shak.
   3. Not to fail or be found wanting; to continue; to last; to
      endure a test or trial; to abide; to persist.
            While our obedience holds.            --Milton.
            The rule holds in land as all other commodities.
                                                  --Locke.
   4. Not to fall away, desert, or prove recreant; to remain
      attached; to cleave;-often with with, to, or for.
            He will hold to the one and despise the other.
                                                  --Matt. vi. 24
   5. To restrain one's self; to refrain.
            His dauntless heart would fain have held From
            weeping, but his eyes rebelled.       --Dryden.
   6. To derive right or title; -- generally with of.
            My crown is absolute, and holds of none. --Dryden.
            His imagination holds immediately from nature.
                                                  --Hazlitt.
   {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.
   

4. \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}.
   

5. \Hold\, v. t.
   {To hold up}. To stop in order to rob, often with the demand
      to hold up the hands. [Colloq.] Hole \Hole\, n. (Games)
   (a) A small cavity used in some games, usually one into which
       a marble or ball is to be played or driven; hence, a
       score made by playing a marble or ball into such a hole,
       as in golf.
   (b) (Fives) At Eton College, England, that part of the floor
       of the court between the step and the pepperbox.
   

a fortress, the name given to David's lurking-places (1 Sam. 22:4, 5; 24:22).