What is "held"

Held \Held\, imp. & p. p. of Hold.

Hold \Hold\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Held; p. pr. & vb. n. Holding. Holden, p. p., is obs. in elegant writing, though still used in legal language.] [OE. haldan, D. houden, OHG. hoten, Icel. halda, Dan. holde, Sw. h[*a]lla, Goth. haldan to feed, tend (the cattle); of unknown origin. Gf. Avast, Halt, Hod.]

1. To cause to remain in a given situation, position, or relation, within certain limits, or the like; to prevent from falling or escaping; to sustain; to restrain; to keep in the grasp; to retain.

   The loops held one curtain to another.
   --Ex. xxxvi. 1

2. Thy right hand shall hold me.
   --Ps. cxxxix. 10.

   They all hold swords, being expert in war.
   --Cant. iii. 8.

   In vain he seeks, that having can not hold.
   --Spenser.

   France, thou mayst hold a serpent by the tongue, . . . A fasting tiger safer by the tooth, Than keep in peace that hand which thou dost hold.
   --Shak.

   2. To retain in one's keeping; to maintain possession of, or authority over; not to give up or relinquish; to keep; to defend.

   We mean to hold what anciently we claim Of deity or empire.
   --Milton.

3. To have; to possess; to be in possession of; to occupy; to derive title to; as, to hold office.

   This noble merchant held a noble house.
   --Chaucer.

   Of him to hold his seigniory for a yearly tribute.
   --Knolles.

   And now the strand, and now the plain, they held.
   --Dryden.

4. To impose restraint upon; to limit in motion or action; to bind legally or morally; to confine; to restrain.

   We can not hold mortality's strong hand.
   --Shak.

   Death! what do'st? O, hold thy blow.
   --Grashaw.

   He had not sufficient judgment and self-command to hold his tongue.
   --Macaulay.

5. To maintain in being or action; to carry on; to prosecute, as a course of conduct or an argument; to continue; to sustain.

   Hold not thy peace, and be not still.
   --Ps. lxxxiii. 1.

   Seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost, Shall hold their course.
   --Milton.

6. To prosecute, have, take, or join in, as something which is the result of united action; as to, hold a meeting, a festival, a session, etc.; hence, to direct and bring about officially; to conduct or preside at; as, the general held a council of war; a judge holds a court; a clergyman holds a service.

   I would hold more talk with thee.
   --Shak.

7. To receive and retain; to contain as a vessel; as, this pail holds milk; hence, to be able to receive and retain; to have capacity or containing power for.

   Broken cisterns that can hold no water.
   --Jer. ii. 13.

   One sees more devils than vast hell can hold.
   --Shak.

8. To accept, as an opinion; to be the adherent of, openly or privately; to persist in, as a purpose; to maintain; to sustain.

   Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.
   --2 Thes. ii.15.

   But still he held his purpose to depart.
   --Dryden.

9. To consider; to regard; to esteem; to account; to think; to judge.

   I hold him but a fool.
   --Shak.

   I shall never hold that man my friend.
   --Shak.

   The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
   --Ex. xx. 7.

10. To bear, carry, or manage; as he holds himself erect; he holds his head high. Let him hold his fingers thus. --Shak. To hold a wager, to lay or hazard a wager. --Swift. To hold forth,

    1. v. t.to offer; to exhibit; to propose; to put forward. ``The propositions which books hold forth and pretend to teach.''
       --Locke.

    2. v. i. To talk at length; to harangue. To held in, to restrain; to curd. To hold in hand, to toy with; to keep in expectation; to have in one's power. [Obs.] O, fie! to receive favors, return falsehoods, And hold a lady in hand. --Beaw. & Fl. To hold in play, to keep under control; to dally with. --Macaulay. To hold off, to keep at a distance. To hold on, to hold in being, continuance or position; as, to hold a rider on. To hold one's day, to keep one's appointment. [Obs.] --Chaucer. To hold one's own. To keep good one's present condition absolutely or relatively; not to fall off, or to lose ground; as, a ship holds her own when she does not lose ground in a race or chase; a man holds his own when he does not lose strength or weight. To hold one's peace, to keep silence. To hold out.

       1. To extend; to offer. ``Fortune holds out these to you as rewards.''
          --B. Jonson.

       2. To continue to do or to suffer; to endure. ``He can not long hold out these pangs.'' --Shak. To hold up.

          1. To raise; to lift; as, hold up your head.

          2. To support; to sustain. ``He holds himself up in virtue.''
             --Sir P. Sidney.

    3. To exhibit; to display; as, he was held up as an example.

    4. To rein in; to check; to halt; as, hold up your horses.

    5. to rob, usually at gunpoint; -- often with the demand to ``hold up'' the hands.

    6. To delay. To hold water.

       1. Literally, to retain water without leaking; hence (Fig.), to be whole, sound, consistent, without gaps or holes; -- commonly used in a negative sense; as, his statements will not hold water. [Colloq.]

       2. (Naut.) To hold the oars steady in the water, thus checking the headway of a boat.

Old English heold, past tense and p.p. of hold.

vb. (en-past of: hold)

See hold

adj. occupied or in the control of; often used in combination; "enemy-held territory"

1. n. the act of grasping; "he released his clasp on my arm"; "he has a strong grip for an old man"; "she kept a firm hold on the railing" [syn: clasp, clench, clutch, clutches, grasp, grip]

2. understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something; "he has a good grasp of accounting practices" [syn: appreciation, grasp]

3. power by which something or someone is affected or dominated; "he has a hold over them"

4. time during which some action is awaited; "instant replay caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the action" [syn: delay, time lag, postponement, wait]

5. a state of being confined (usually for a short time); "his detention was politically motivated"; "the prisoner is on hold"; "he is in the custody of police" [syn: detention, custody]

6. a stronghold

7. a cell in a jail or prison [syn: keep]

8. the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it; "he grabbed the hammer by the handle"; "it was an old briefcase but it still had a good grip" [syn: handle, grip, handgrip]

9. the space in a ship or aircraft for storing cargo [syn: cargo area, cargo deck, cargo hold, storage area]

10. [also: held]

1. v. organize or be responsible for; "hold a reception"; "have, throw, or make a party"; "give a course" [syn: throw, have, make, give]

2. keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep clean"; "hold in place"; "She always held herself as a lady"; "The students keep me on my toes" [syn: keep, maintain]

3. have or hold in one's hands or grip; "Hold this bowl for a moment, please"; "A crazy idea took hold of him" [syn: take hold] [ant: let go of]

4. to close within bounds, limit or hold back from movement; "This holds the local until the express passengers change trains"; "About a dozen animals were held inside the stockade"; "The illegal immigrants were held at a detention center"; "The terrorists held the journalists for ransom" [syn: restrain, confine]

5. have rightfully; of rights, titles, and offices; "She bears the title of Duchess"; "He held the governorship for almost a decade" [syn: bear]

6. have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense; "She has $1,000 in the bank"; "He has got two beautiful daughters"; "She holds a Master's degree from Harvard" [syn: have, have got]

7. keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view; "take for granted"; "view as important"; "hold these truths to be self-evident"; "I hold him personally responsible" [syn: deem, view as, take for]

8. contain or hold; have within; "The jar carries wine"; "The canteen holds fresh water"; "This can contains water" [syn: bear, carry, contain]

9. lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger" [syn: control, hold in, contain, check, curb, moderate]

10. remain in a certain state, position, or condition; "The weather held"; "They held on the road and kept marching"

11. maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings); "bear a grudge"; "entertain interesting notions"; "harbor a resentment" [syn: harbor, harbour, entertain, nurse]

12. assert or affirm; "Rousseau's philosophy holds that people are inherently good"

13. remain committed to; "I hold to these ideas"

14. secure and keep for possible future use or application; "The landlord retained the security deposit"; "I reserve the right to disagree" [syn: retain, keep back, hold back]

15. 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?" [syn: support, sustain, hold up]

16. hold the attention of; "The soprano held the audience"; "This story held our interest"; "She can hold an audience spellbound"

17. keep from exhaling or expelling; "hold your breath"

18. support or hold in a certain manner; "She holds her head high"; "He carried himself upright" [syn: carry, bear]

19. have room for; hold without crowding; "This hotel can accommodate 250 guests"; "The theater admits 300 people"; "The auditorium can't hold more than 500 people" [syn: accommodate, admit]

20. be capable of holding or containing; "This box won't take all the items"; "The flask holds one gallon" [syn: contain, take]

21. be valid, applicable, or true; "This theory still holds" [syn: prevail, obtain]

22. take and maintain control over, often by violent means; "The dissatisfied students held the President's office for almost a week"

23. protect against a challenge or attack; "Hold that position behind the trees!"; "Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks" [syn: defend, guard]

24. declare to be; "She was declared incompetent"; "judge held that the defendant was innocent" [syn: declare, adjudge]

25. have as a major characteristic; "The novel holds many surprises"; "The book holds in store much valuable advise"

26. cause to stop; "Halt the engines"; "Arrest the progress"; "halt the presses" [syn: halt, arrest]

27. bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted; "He's held by a contract"; "I'll hold you by your promise" [syn: oblige, bind, obligate]

28. cover as for protection against noise or smell; "She held her ears when the jackhammer started to operate"; "hold one's nose"

29. drink alcohol without showing ill effects; "He can hold his liquor"; "he had drunk more than he could carry" [syn: carry]

30. be pertinent or relevant or applicable; "The same laws apply to you!"; "This theory holds for all irrational numbers"; "The same rules go for everyone" [syn: apply, go for]

31. arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance; "reserve me a seat on a flight"; "The agent booked tickets to the show for the whole family"; "please hold a table at Maxim's" [syn: reserve, book]

32. resist or confront with resistance; "The politician defied public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held" [syn: defy, withstand, hold up]

33. keep from departing; "Hold the taxi"; "Hold the horse"

34. stop dealing with; "hold all calls to the President's office while he is in a meeting"

35. aim, point, or direct; "Hold the fire extinguisher directly on the flames"

36. be in accord; be in agreement; "We agreed on the terms of the settlement"; "I can't agree with you!"; "I hold with those who say life is sacred"; "Both philosophers concord on this point" [syn: agree, concur, concord] [ant: disagree]

37. [also: held]

Held may refer to:

"Held" is a song by Smog, released as his first single from his 1999 album Knock Knock. The original Drag City-release featured the second single " Cold Blooded Old Times" as a b-side.

"Held" is sometimes covered during concerts by American indie rock band Spoon. The song also appeared in the 60 and 30-seconds-versions of a commercial advertising the 2008 Cadillac Escalade.