Extend, stretch forth; also, present or offer something. For example, He held out his hand and she took it , or The new policy held out promise of major changes in the welfare program . These usages date from the first half of the 1500s and of the 1600s respectively.

"},{"id":"4effa20080539d2858352054","ordinal":2,"source":"american-heritage","text":"

Last, continue to be in supply or service, as in The food is holding out nicely . [Late 1500s] Also see hold up , def. 4.

"},{"id":"4effa20080539d2858352055","ordinal":3,"source":"american-heritage","text":"

Continue to resist, as in The garrison held out for another month . [Second half of 1700s]

"},{"id":"4effa20080539d2858352056","ordinal":4,"source":"american-heritage","text":"

Withhold cooperation, agreement, or information, as in We've asked for a better deal, but they've been holding out for months . It is also put as hold out on , as in They were still holding out on some of the provisions , or He's not telling us what happened; he's holding out on us .

"},{"id":"4effa20080539d2858352057","ordinal":5,"source":"american-heritage","text":"

hold out for . Insist on obtaining, as in The union is still holding out for a better contract . [c. 1900]

"}],"id":"4effa20080539d2858352058","ordinal":1}],"slug":"hold-out","source":"american-heritage","type":"idiom"}],"type":"idiom"},{"entries":[{"createDate":"2010-07-27T14:36:49Z","headword":{"normalizedForm":"hold out","standardForm":"hold out"},"id":"4c4eef01000000022f00de3e","lang":"en","modifyDate":"2010-07-27T14:36:49Z","ngrams":{"allLetters":false,"forward":"holdout","groups":[" ","d","h","l","o","oo","t","u"],"numLetters":7,"reverse":"tuodloh","subwordTokens":["hold out","old out","ld out","d out"," out","out","ut","t"]},"normalizedLetter":"h","ordinal":1,"partOfSpeechBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"id":"4c4a4b45348754db27d1a554","ordinal":1,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"(tr) to offer or present"},{"id":"4c071e00897ea53c45c8c9ca","ordinal":2,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"(intr) to last or endure"},{"id":"4c61a19fce1ba9d82ad4bf4e","ordinal":3,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"(intr) to continue to resist or stand firm, as a city under siege or a person refusing to succumb to persuasion"},{"id":"4cc75d59a9d4046267cd18f7","ordinal":4,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"to withhold (something due or expected)"},{"id":"4c179ec6bf6ac7a69690211d","ordinal":5,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"to wait patiently or uncompromisingly for (the fulfilment of one's demands)"},{"id":"4cccd311aaa04db6f519ebce","label":"informal","ordinal":6,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"to delay in or keep from telling (a person) some new or important information"}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"verb"},{"definitions":[{"examples":[{"sentence":"Honecker was one of the staunchest holdouts against reform"}],"id":"4ca7240dd991bf76088617ad","ordinal":1,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"a person, country, organization, etc, that continues to resist or refuses to change"},{"examples":[{"sentence":"they remain the only holdouts to signing the accord"}],"id":"4c77ddb3b47903d028825556","ordinal":2,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"a person, country, organization, etc, that declines to cooperate or participate"}],"ordinal":2,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"slug":"hold-out","source":"collins","type":"british"}],"type":"british"}],"meta":{"arg":"hold-out","requestId":"xTiXPloD_7zFvIBO1GSUH","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"hold out","slug":"hold-out"},{"displayForm":"hold out","slug":"hold-out"},{"displayForm":"holdout","slug":"holdout"},{"displayForm":"sold-out","slug":"sold-out"},{"displayForm":"hand-out","slug":"hand-out"},{"displayForm":"hold-up","slug":"hold-up"},{"displayForm":"hold court","slug":"hold-court"},{"displayForm":"doped-out","slug":"doped-out"},{"displayForm":"hold out on","slug":"hold-out-on"},{"displayForm":"hold it","slug":"hold-it"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"hold out","slug":"hold-out"},{"displayForm":"holdout","slug":"holdout"},{"displayForm":"hold out on","slug":"hold-out-on"},{"displayForm":"hold on","slug":"hold-on"},{"displayForm":"laid-out","slug":"laid-out"},{"displayForm":"lead-out","slug":"lead-out"},{"displayForm":"hold forth","slug":"hold-forth"},{"displayForm":"hold on to","slug":"hold-on-to"},{"displayForm":"hold out for","slug":"hold-out-for"},{"displayForm":"dried-out","slug":"dried-out"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"hold-out"},"requestId":"ZCyYSQHDNbI4EmUGf1bBs","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

hold out

Example Sentences

Related Words