3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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 
  12. 
 
  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  hat  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},  to  offer;  to  exhibit;  to  propose;  to  put 
  forward.  ``The  propositions  which  books  hold  forth  and 
  pretend  to  teach.''  --Locke. 
 
  {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}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Holding  \Hold"ing\,  n. 
  1.  The  act  or  state  of  sustaining,  grasping,  or  retaining. 
 
  2.  A  tenure;  a  farm  or  other  estate  held  of  another. 
 
  3.  That  which  holds  binds,  or  influences.  --Burke. 
 
  4.  The  burden  or  chorus  of  a  song.  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  {Holding  note}  (Mus.),  a  note  sustained  in  one  part  while 
  the  other  parts  move 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  holding 
  adj  :  designed  for  (usually  temporary)  retention;  "a  holding  pen"; 
  "a  retaining  wall"  [syn:  {retaining}] 
  n  1:  the  act  of  keeping  in  your  possession  [syn:  {retention},  {keeping}] 
  2:  any  tangible  possession  that  is  owned  by  someone  "that  hat 
  is  my  property"  [syn:  {property},  {belongings},  {material 
  possession}] 

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