Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
Шрифт:
[hold back]{v.} 1. To stay back or away; show unwillingness. •/The visitor tried to gel the child to come to her, but he held back./ •/John held back from social activity because he felt embarrassed with people./ 2. To keep someone in place; prevent from acting. •/The police held back the crowd./
[hold court]{v. phr.} 1. To hold a formal meeting of a royal court or a court of law. •/Judge Stephens allowed no foolishness when he held court./ 2. {informal} To act like a king or queen among subjects. •/Even at sixteen, Judy was holding court for numbers of charmed boys./
[hold down]{v.} 1. To keep in obedience; keep control of; continue authority or rule over. •/Kings used to know very well how to hold down the people./ 2. {informal} To work satisfactorily at. •/John had held down a tough job for a long time./
[hold everything] See: HOLD IT.
[hold fire] See: HOLD ONE’S FIRE.
[hold forth]{v.} 1. To offer; propose. •/As a candidate, Jones held forth the promise of a bright future./ 2. To speak in public; preach. — Usually used with little respect. •/Senator Smith was holding forth on free trade./
[hold good]{v.} 1. To continue to be good; last. •/The coupon on the cereal box offered a free toy, but the offer held good only till the end of the year./ •/Attendance at the basketball games held good all winter./ 2. To continue; endure: last. •/The demand for new houses held good all that year./ •/The agreement between the schools held good for three years./ See: HOLD TRUE.
[hold it] or [hold everything]{v. phr.}, {informal} To stop something one is doing or getting ready to do. — Usually used as a command. •/The pilot was starting to take off, when the control tower ordered "Hold it!"/
[hold off]{v.} 1a. To refuse to let (someone) become friendly. •/The president’s high rank and chilly manner held people off./ Compare: KEEP AT A DISTANCE. 1b. To be rather shy or unfriendly. •/Perkins was a scholarly man who held off from people./ Compare: KEEP AT A DISTANCE. 2. To keep away by fighting; oppose by force. •/The man locked himself in the house and held off the police for an hour./ 3. To wait before (doing something); postpone; delay. •/Jack held off paying for the television set until the dealer fixed it./ •/Mr. Smith held off from building while interest rates were high./
[hold on]{v.} 1. To keep holding tightly; continue to hold strongly. •/As Ted was pulling on the rope, it began to slip and Earl cried, "Hold on, Ted!"/ Syn.: HANG ON. 2. To wait and not hang up a telephone; keep a phone for later use. •/Mr. Jones asked me to hold on while he spoke to his secretary./ 3. To keep on with a business or job in spite of difficulties. •/It was hard to keep the store going during the depression, but Max held on and at last met with success./ 4. {informal} To wait a minute; stop. — Usually used as a command. •/"Hold on!" John’s father said, "I want the car tonight."/
[hold one’s breath]{v. phr.} 1. To stop breathing for a moment when you are excited or nervous. •/The race was so close that everyone was holding his breath at the finish./ 2. To endure great nervousness, anxiety, or excitement. •/John held his breath for days before he got word that the college he chose had accepted him./
[hold one’s end up] or [hold up one’s end] or [keep one’s end up] or [keep up one’s end]{v. phr.}, {informal} To do your share of work; do your part. •/Mary washed the dishes so fast that Ann, who was drying them, couldn’t keep her end up./ •/Susan kept up her end of the conversation, but Bill did not talk very much./ •/Bob said he would lend me his bicycle if I repaired the flat tire, but he didn’t keep up his end of the bargain./
[hold one’s fire] or [hold fire]{v. phr.} To keep back arguments or facts; keep from telling something. •/Tow could have hurt Fred by telling what he knew, but he held his fire./ •/Mary held fire until she had enough information to convince the other club members./
[hold one’s head up]{v. phr.} To show self-respect; not be ashamed; be proud. •/When Mr. Murray had paid off his debts, he felt that he could hold his head up again./
[hold one’s horses]{v. phr.}, {informal} To stop; wait; be patient. — Usually used as a command. May be considered rude. •/"Hold your horses!" Mr. Jones said to David when David wanted to call the police./
[hold one’s nose to the grindstone] See: KEEP ONE’S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.
[hold one’s own]{v. phr.} To keep your position; avoid losing ground; keep your advantage, wealth, or condition without loss. •/Mr. Smith could not build up his business, but he held his own./ •/The team held its own after the first quarter./ •/Mary had a hard time after the operation, but soon she was holding her own./
[hold one’s peace]{v. phr.}, {formal} To be silent and not speak against something; be still; keep quiet. •/I did not agree with the teacher, but held my peace as he was rather angry./ Compare: HOLD ONE’S TONGUE
[hold one’s temper] or [keep one’s temper]{v. phr.} To make yourself be quiet and peaceful; not become angry. •/The meeting will go smoothly if the president keeps his temper./ •/Dave can’t keep his temper when he drives in heavy traffic./ Contrast: LOSE ONE’S TEMPER, BLOW ONE’S STACK.
[hold one’s tongue]{v. phr.} To be silent; keep still; not talk. — May be considered rude. •/The teacher told Fred to hold his tongue./ •/If people would hold their tongues from unkind speech, fewer people would be hurt/
[hold on to]{v. phr.} 1a. or [hold to] To continue to hold or keep; hold tightly. •/When Jane played horse with her father, she held on to him tightly./ •/The teacher said that if we believed something was true and good we should hold on to it./ •/The old man held on to his job stubbornly and would not retire./ 1b. To stay in control of. •/Ann was so frightened that she had to hold on to herself not to scream./ Contrast: LET GO. 2. To continue to sing or sound. •/The singer held on to the last note of the song for a long time./