Holding

The act of physically gripping or holding something, The state of owning or possessing something, The act of keeping someone or something in a particular place or position

Holding - Meanings

The act of physically gripping or holding something

Example: She was holding a book in her hand.

Usage: informalContext: everyday situations

Note: Commonly used in casual conversations to describe physically grasping an object.

The state of owning or possessing something

Example: He has a large holding in the company.

Usage: formalContext: business or legal contexts

Note: Used in professional settings to refer to ownership or possession of assets, shares, or property.

The act of keeping someone or something in a particular place or position

Example: The police are holding the suspect for questioning.

Usage: formalContext: legal or law enforcement situations

Note: Commonly used in legal contexts to indicate the detention or temporary confinement of a person or thing.

Holding's synonyms

grasping

Grasping refers to holding something firmly or tightly.

Example: She was grasping the handle tightly.

Note: Grasping implies a stronger grip compared to holding.

gripping

Gripping means to hold something tightly or firmly.

Example: The child's gripping of the toy showed his excitement.

Note: Gripping is often used to describe a strong or intense hold.

clutching

Clutching means to hold onto something tightly or desperately.

Example: He was clutching his bag as he ran to catch the bus.

Note: Clutching implies a sense of urgency or desperation in the hold.

Holding expressions, common phrases

Hold on

To wait or pause for a moment.

Example: Hold on a second, I'll be right back.

Note: The original word 'holding' refers to physically grasping something, while 'hold on' means to wait or pause.

Hold off

To delay or postpone something.

Example: Let's hold off on making a decision until we have more information.

Note: While 'holding' implies having something in your possession, 'hold off' means to delay or postpone taking action.

Hold up

To cause a delay or make someone late.

Example: Sorry for holding you up, I got stuck in traffic.

Note: Unlike 'holding,' which is about physically grasping something, 'hold up' refers to causing a delay or obstruction.

Hold back

To restrain or keep something from happening.

Example: She held back her tears during the sad movie.

Note: While 'holding' refers to having something in your grasp, 'hold back' means to restrain or suppress emotions or actions.

Hold down

To keep a job or position despite challenges.

Example: He managed to hold down a full-time job while studying for his degree.

Note: Unlike 'holding,' which is about physically grasping something, 'hold down' refers to maintaining a job or position despite difficulties.

Hold in

To control or suppress one's emotions or reactions.

Example: She tried to hold in her excitement when she heard the good news.

Note: While 'holding' involves physically grasping something, 'hold in' refers to controlling or suppressing emotions or reactions.

Hold forth

To speak at length or in a grandiose manner.

Example: The professor held forth on the topic for over an hour.

Note: Unlike 'holding,' which is about physically grasping something, 'hold forth' means to speak at length or in a grandiose manner on a topic.

Holding everyday (slang) expressions

Hold your horses

This phrase means to be patient or wait. It is often used to tell someone to slow down or not to rush into something.

Example: Before you make any decisions, hold your horses and think it through.

Note: The slang term 'Hold your horses' is a more colorful and informal way of saying 'Wait' or 'Be patient'.

Hold your tongue

To hold your tongue means to refrain from speaking, especially when you want to say something but decide it is better to remain silent.

Example: When he said something offensive, I had to remind myself to hold my tongue and not respond.

Note: The slang term 'Hold your tongue' is used to specifically mean 'refrain from speaking' and often implies self-control or restraint.

Hold your own

To hold your own means to defend yourself or succeed without help from others. It implies being self-sufficient and capable.

Example: Even in a challenging situation, she knows how to hold her own and remain confident.

Note: The term 'Hold your own' suggests independence and strength in managing a situation or standing up for oneself.

Hold water

If a statement or argument holds water, it is logical, valid, or reasonable.

Example: His argument doesn't really hold water when you look at the facts.

Note: The slang term 'Hold water' is used to evaluate the validity or soundness of an argument or claim.

Hold the fort

To hold the fort means to maintain control or responsibility for a situation or place in someone's absence.

Example: I need to step out for a few minutes. Can you hold the fort while I'm gone?

Note: The slang term 'Hold the fort' is often used in a figurative sense to imply maintaining order or stability.

Hold court

To hold court means to be the center of attention or to command a group's interest and admiration.

Example: At parties, she always holds court with her entertaining stories and jokes.

Note: The term 'Hold court' is used to describe someone who is charismatic or captivating in a social setting.

Hold a candle to

To not be able to hold a candle to someone means to not be as skilled, talented, or important as them.

Example: In terms of acting skills, she can't hold a candle to the lead actress.

Note: The slang term 'Hold a candle to' is used to compare someone's abilities or qualities to another's, often indicating a significant difference in skill or excellence.

Holding - Examples

Holding onto the railing, she slowly descended the stairs.

The company is a holding of a larger corporation.

His firm has a strong hold on the market.

Holding grammar

Holding - Verb (Verb) / Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle)

Lemma: hold

Conjugations

Noun, plural (Noun, plural): holds, hold

Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass): hold

Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense): held

Verb, past participle (Verb, past participle): held

Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle): holding

Verb, 3rd person singular present (Verb, 3rd person singular present): holds

Verb, base form (Verb, base form): hold

Verb, non-3rd person singular present (Verb, non-3rd person singular present): hold

Syllabification and Stress

holding Contains 2 syllables: hold • ing

Phonetic transcription: ˈhōl-diŋ

hold ing , ˈhōl diŋ (The red syllable is stressed)

Holding - Importance and usage frequency

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.

holding: ~ 2900 (Very common).

This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

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