Hold On (Verb)
Meaning 1
Hold firmly.
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She struggled to hold on to the wet rope as she climbed the rockface.
- He had to hold on to the door handle for support as the strong winds howled.
- Hold on to your valuables tightly in crowded areas to avoid theft.
- The roots hold on to the soil to keep the tree from toppling over.
- Please hold on to the handrail as you go up the stairs to avoid accidents.
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Meaning 2
Stop and wait, as if awaiting further instructions or developments; "Hold on a moment!".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- Hold on a minute while I check that for you.
- Hold on just a second, I need to verify the details.
- The announcer asked everyone to hold on as they were experiencing technical difficulties.
- Hold on, I think we took a wrong turn back there.
- Hold on to the railing while I adjust the ladder for you.
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Meaning 3
Retain possession of; "Can I keep my old stuffed animals?"; "She kept her maiden name after she married".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- She chose to hold on to her grandmother's old piano for sentimental reasons.
- The company will hold on to its stock holdings until the market improves.
- He couldn't bear to let go, and would hold on to the memories of his late father forever.
- The library will hold on to the rare manuscript in its archives for its cultural significance.
- After the divorce, she decided to hold on to the family home where her children grew up.
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Meaning 4
Hold the phone line open; "Please hang on while I get your folder".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- Please hold on, I'll just check the information for you.
- Hold on a minute, I'm going to transfer you to another representative.
- Can you hold on while I look up your order status?
- I'm going to check the issue, hold on for a second.
- Hold on, I'll put you through to our customer service department now.
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Meaning 5
Be persistent, refuse to stop; "he persisted to call me every night"; "The child persisted and kept asking questions".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- Hold on, I know this is tough, but we can't give up now, we have to keep fighting for our rights.
- The activists hold on to their cause and continued the peaceful protests despite being heavily suppressed.
- The team's manager motivated them to hold on and not give up even when they were down by 10 points.
- She advised her friend to hold on and not let the negative comments bring her down.
- The exhausted runner was about to give up but decided to hold on and push through the last few miles.