Hold Up (Verb)
Meaning 1
Resist or withstand wear, criticism, etc.; "Her shoes won't hold up"; "This theory won't hold water".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- These boots have been through a lot, but they still hold up surprisingly well after years of hiking.
- The company's excuse for the delayed project won't hold up under scrutiny.
- Their alibi won't hold up in court due to the lack of concrete evidence.
- The cheap material used for the toy won't hold up to a child's rough play for long.
- Her argument won't hold up against the overwhelming evidence and expert opinions.
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Meaning 2
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?".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The thick rope holds up the enormous chandelier in the ballroom.
- The four pillars hold up the massive stone bridge that spans the river.
- The entire team relies on the experienced captain to hold up their morale in times of crisis.
- Steel cables hold up the suspension bridge over the deep mountain gorge.
- Metal scaffolding holds up the crumbling stone facade of the old building.
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Meaning 3
Resist or confront with resistance; "The politician defied public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- The firefighter held up the weakening structure with her last ounce of strength.
- The resilient athlete managed to hold up through the intense workout routine.
- She held up under the pressure of the scrutiny during the trial.
- Despite massive opposition, the activist held up for her cause until it gained national attention.
- The advanced waterproof material was able to hold up to repeated washing and outdoor exposure.
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Meaning 4
Cause to be slowed down or delayed; "Traffic was delayed by the bad weather"; "she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The project was put on hold due to lack of funding which will hold up further development.
- A complication during the surgery caused a delay that will hold up the recovery process.
- Heavy rain and strong winds hold up air travel in many parts of the country.
- The need for more resources may hold up the completion of the new building.
- Please apologize to the guests for the kitchen issues that will hold up dinner.
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Meaning 5
Rob at gunpoint or by means of some other threat.
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- The convenience store clerk looked up to see a masked man attempting to hold up the store with a shotgun.
- Three suspects were arrested for trying to hold up a local bank using a fake bomb.
- The customer intervened when he saw the would-be thief try to hold up the liquor store.
- Police are searching for the man who allegedly used a knife to hold up a subway rider.
- The getaway car sped away after the thieves managed to hold up a jewelry store using pepper spray.
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Meaning 6
Hold up something as an example; hold up one's achievements for admiration.
Classification
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling.
Examples
- The Olympic athlete is often held up as an example for young children to look up to and find inspiration.
- As a role model, she lets her students look at her painting as an example to hold up their own skills in art.
- Her dedication and perseverance are being held up for admiration by her colleagues.
- The teacher decided to hold up the essay of a student for appreciation to inspire others in the class.
- Being a leading philanthropist, he has been holding up his charitable work as a benchmark for others to follow.
Hypernyms
Meaning 7
Continue to live and avoid dying; "We went without water and food for 3 days"; "These superstitions survive in the backwaters of America"; "The race car driver lived through several very serious accidents"; "how long can a person last without food and water?" "One crash victim died, the other lived".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- The old sailor managed to hold up against the raging storm for several hours.
- The lost hiker's robust physique allowed her to hold up without food and water for weeks.
- For days, the family struggling to find shelter had to hold up in the emergency tent.
- In the aftermath of the earthquake, many survivors had to hold up under makeshift circumstances for months.
- The patients awaiting medical attention were forced to hold up until the relief team arrived.