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hold up

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hold someone or something up

 

1. Lit. to keep someone or something upright. Johnny is falling asleep. Please hold him up until I prepare the bed for him. Hold up the window sash while I prop it open.

2. Fig. to rob someone or a group. Some punk tried to hold me up. The mild-looking man held up the bank and shot a teller.

3. Fig. to delay someone or something. Driving the kids to school held me up. An accident on Main Street held up traffic for thirty minutes.

See also: hold, up

hold up

 

1. Lit. to endure; to last a long time. How long will this cloth hold up? I want my money back for this chair. It isn't holding up well.

2. and hold up (for SOme-one or something) to wait; to stop and wait for someone or something. Hold up for Wallace. He's running hard to catch up to us. Hold up a minute.

See also: hold, up

hold up

(for someone or something) Go to hold up; wait up (for someone or something).

See also: hold, up

hold up (on someone or something)

to delay or postpone further action on someone or something. I know you are getting ready to choose someone, but hold up on Tom. There may be someone better. Hold up on the project, would you? We need to hold up for a while longer.

See also: hold, up

hold up

1. to continue to operate or be able to do things I hope the spare tire holds up until we can get to a garage. She is holding up well despite her financial problems.

2. to continue to seem true after being carefully examined The evidence may not hold up in court. Related vocabulary: not hold water

See also: hold, up

hold up somebody/something

also hold somebody/something up

1. to try to steal from a person or place by using violence Two masked men held up the grocery store on my block. They held her up at gunpoint. Related vocabulary: stick up somebody/something

2. to delay someone or something Traffic was held up for several hours by the accident. Sorry to hold you up, but my train was late.

3. to offer someone or something as an example Her parents always held her sister up as the kind of person she should be.

See also: hold, up

hold up

1. Offer or present as an example, as in The teacher held Bernie's essay up as a model for the class to follow. [c. 1600]

2. Obstruct or delay, as in We were held up in traffic. [c. 1900]

3. Rob, as in He was held up in a dark alley, with no help nearby. This usage, which gave rise to the noun holdup for a robbery, alludes to the robbers' demand that the victims hold their hands high. [Late 1800s]

4. Also, hold out. Continue to function without losing force or effectiveness, endure. For example, We held up through that long bitter winter, or The nurse was able to hold out until someone could relieve her. [Late 1500s]

5. See hold one's head high.

See also: hold, up

hold up

v.

1. To raise something or someone in the air: I held the baby up over my head. The police officer held up the stop sign so drivers could see it.

2. To support something or someone in an upright position: The nurse held the patient up as they walked to the bathroom. The coach held up the injured athlete.

3. To maintain or adhere to some part of an arrangement or agreement: You need to hold up your part of the deal, or your partners will lose trust in you. We intend to hold our end of the bargain up.

4. To obstruct or delay something or someone: The bad weather is holding flights up. The traffic jam held up thousands of commuters.

5. To rob someone or some place while armed, often at gunpoint: The armed robbers held the convenience store up. The gangsters held up the bank.

6. To offer or present something as an example: The professor held the essay up as a model for the students. The company president held up his record as one that couldn't be surpassed.

7. To continue to function without losing force or effectiveness; cope: The company held up under financial stress. How are you holding up?

8. hold up to To withstand the force of something: The dye in my sweater can't hold up to the strong chemicals in the detergent.

9. hold up to To withstand comparison with something: Although I practice every day, my singing can't hold up to your beautiful voice.

See also: hold, up