[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

hold \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. halla, goth.
   haldan to feed, tend the cattle; of unknown origin. gf.
   avast, halt, hod.
   1913 webster
   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.
      1913 webster

            the loops held one curtain to another. --ex. xxxvi.
                                                  12.
      1913 webster

            thy right hand shall hold me.         --ps. cxxxix.
                                                  10.
      1913 webster

            they all hold swords, being expert in war. --cant.
                                                  iii. 8.
      1913 webster

            in vain he seeks, that having can not hold.
                                                  --spenser.
      1913 webster

            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.
      1913 webster

   2. to retain in one's keeping; to maintain possession of, or
      authority over; not to give up or relinquish; to keep; to
      defend.
      1913 webster

            we mean to hold what anciently we claim
            of deity or empire.                   --milton.
      1913 webster

   3. to have; to possess; to be in possession of; to occupy; to
      derive title to; as, to hold office.
      1913 webster

            this noble merchant held a noble house. --chaucer.
      1913 webster

            of him to hold his seigniory for a yearly tribute.
                                                  --knolles.
      1913 webster

            and now the strand, and now the plain, they held.
                                                  --dryden.
      1913 webster

   4. to impose restraint upon; to limit in motion or action; to
      bind legally or morally; to confine; to restrain.
      1913 webster

            we can not hold mortality's strong hand. --shak.
      1913 webster

            death what do'st? o, hold thy blow.  --grashaw.
      1913 webster

            he had not sufficient judgment and self-command to
            hold his tongue.                      --macaulay.
      1913 webster

   5. to maintain in being or action; to carry on; to prosecute,
      as a course of conduct or an argument; to continue; to
      sustain.
      1913 webster

            hold not thy peace, and be not still. --ps. lxxxiii.
                                                  1.
      1913 webster

            seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost,
            shall hold their course.              --milton.
      1913 webster

   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.
      1913 webster

            i would hold more talk with thee.     --shak.
      1913 webster

   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.
      1913 webster

            broken cisterns that can hold no water. --jer. ii.
                                                  13.
      1913 webster

            one sees more devils than vast hell can hold.
                                                  --shak.
      1913 webster

   8. to accept, as an opinion; to be the adherent of, openly or
      privately; to persist in, as a purpose; to maintain; to
      sustain.
      1913 webster

            stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have
            been taught.                          --2 thes.
                                                  ii.15.
      1913 webster

            but still he held his purpose to depart. --dryden.
      1913 webster

   9. to consider; to regard; to esteem; to account; to think;
      to judge.
      1913 webster

            i hold him but a fool.                --shak.
      1913 webster

            i shall never hold that man my friend. --shak.
      1913 webster

            the lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his
            name in vain.                         --ex. xx. 7.
      1913 webster

   10. to bear, carry, or manage; as he holds himself erect; he
       holds his head high.
       1913 webster

             let him hold his fingers thus.       --shak.
       1913 webster

   to hold a wager, to lay or hazard a wager. --swift.

   to hold forth,
       a v. t.to offer; to exhibit; to propose; to put
           forward. "the propositions which books hold forth and
           pretend to teach." --locke.
       b v. i. to talk at length; to harangue.

   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.
      1913 webster

            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. 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.
       e to rob, usually at gunpoint; -- often with the demand
           to "hold up" the hands.
       f to delay.

   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. colloq.
       b naut. to hold the oars steady in the water, thus
           checking the headway of a boat.
           1913 webster
see also:
held holding holden avast halt hod 
to hold a wager to hold forth to held in to hold in hand to hold in play 
to hold off to hold on to hold one's day to hold one's own to hold one's peace 
to hold out to hold up to hold water 

Dead Hand >> D Words
Dead Hand, definition of term: Dead Hand
dead+hand_pag1.html

Bow Hand >> B Words
Bow Hand, definition of term: Bow Hand
bow+hand_pag1.html

At Hand >> A Words
At Hand, definition of term: At Hand
at+hand_pag1.html