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The Collaborative International Dictionary
To hold over

Hold \Hold\, v. i. In general, to keep one's self in a given position or condition; to remain fixed. Hence:

  1. Not to move; to halt; to stop; -- mostly in the imperative.

    And damned be him that first cries, ``Hold, enough!''
    --Shak.

  2. Not to give way; not to part or become separated; to remain unbroken or unsubdued.

    Our force by land hath nobly held.
    --Shak.

  3. Not to fail or be found wanting; to continue; to last; to endure a test or trial; to abide; to persist.

    While our obedience holds.
    --Milton.

    The rule holds in land as all other commodities.
    --Locke.

  4. Not to fall away, desert, or prove recreant; to remain attached; to cleave; -- often with with, to, or for.

    He will hold to the one and despise the other.
    --Matt. vi. 24

  5. To restrain one's self; to refrain.

    His dauntless heart would fain have held From weeping, but his eyes rebelled.
    --Dryden.

  6. To derive right or title; -- generally with of. My crown is absolute, and holds of none. --Dryden. His imagination holds immediately from nature. --Hazlitt. Hold on! Hold up! wait; stop; forbear. [Collog] -- To hold forth, to speak in public; to harangue; to preach. --L'Estrange. To hold in, to restrain one's self; as, he wanted to laugh and could hardly hold in. To hold off, to keep at a distance. To hold on, to keep fast hold; to continue; to go on. ``The trade held on for many years,'' --Swift. To hold out, to last; to endure; to continue; to maintain one's self; not to yield or give way. To hold over, to remain in office, possession, etc., beyond a certain date. To hold to or To hold with, to take sides with, as a person or opinion. To hold together, to be joined; not to separate; to remain in union. --Dryden. --Locke. To hold up.

    1. To support one's self; to remain unbent or unbroken; as, to hold up under misfortunes.

    2. To cease raining; to cease to stop; as, it holds up.
      --Hudibras.

    3. To keep up; not to fall behind; not to lose ground.
      --Collier.

Usage examples of "to hold over".

I tried to pull my jacket off to hold over the wound, but my left arm didn't want to work.

She wanted those notes desperately - does still - not for Bronson, but to hold over his head for some purpose.

Her face crumpled as soon as she shut the bathroom door, and she grabbed a towel to hold over her mouth to muffle the sound.

Now Jerana would have one more evil deed, or so she would certainly say, to hold over his head.