hold - verb

1. To put one's arms around affectionately: clasp, embrace, enfold, hug, press, squeeze. Slang clinch. Archaic bosom, clip, embosom. See touch.
2. To sustain the weight of: bear, carry, support, uphold. See support.
3. To keep in custody: detain. See free. law.
4. To compel, as the attention, interest, or imagination, of: arrest, catch up, enthrall, fascinate, grip, mesmerize, rivet, spellbind, transfix. Slang grab. See excite.
5. To be filled by: contain, have. See include.
6. To have the room or capacity for: accommodate, contain. See full.
7. To have and maintain in one's possession: hold back, keep, keep back, reserve, retain, withhold. See keep.
8. To have at one's disposal: boast, command, enjoy, have, possess. See owned.
9. To have the use or benefit of: enjoy, have, possess. See owned.
10. To control, restrict, or arrest: bit, brake, bridle, check, constrain, curb, hold back, hold down, hold in, inhibit, keep, keep back, pull in, rein(back, in, or up), restrain. See restraint.
11. To keep at one's disposal: have, own, possess, retain. See keep.
12. To have an opinion: believe, consider, deem, opine, think. Informal figure, judge. See opinion.
13. To put into words positively and with conviction: affirm, allege, argue, assert, asseverate, aver, avouch, avow, claim, contend, declare, maintain, say, state. See affirm.
14. To view in a certain way: believe, feel, sense, think. See opinion.
15. To prove valid under scrutiny. prove out, stand up. Informal wash. See true.
16. To organize and carry out (an activity): give, have, stage. See control. planned.

hold back - phrasal verb

1. To have and maintain in one's possession: hold, keep, keep back, reserve, retain, withhold. See keep.
2. To interfere with the progress of: bog(down), encumber, hinder, impede, obstruct. See help. open.
3. To hold (something requiring an outlet) in check: burke, choke(back), gag, hold down, hush(up), muffle, quench, repress, smother, squelch, stifle, strangle, suppress, throttle. Informal sit on or upon. See restraint.
4. To control, restrict, or arrest: bit, brake, bridle, check, constrain, curb, hold, hold down, hold in, inhibit, keep, keep back, pull in, rein(back, in, or up), restrain. See restraint.

hold down - phrasal verb

1. To hold (something requiring an outlet) in check: burke, choke(back), gag, hold back, hush(up), muffle, quench, repress, smother, squelch, stifle, strangle, suppress, throttle. Informal sit on or upon. See restraint.
2. To control, restrict, or arrest: bit, brake, bridle, check, constrain, curb, hold, hold back, hold in, inhibit, keep, keep back, pull in, rein(back, in, or up), restrain. See restraint.

hold in - phrasal verb

1. To control, restrict, or arrest: bit, brake, bridle, check, constrain, curb, hold, hold back, hold down, inhibit, keep, keep back, pull in, rein(back, in, or up), restrain. See restraint.

hold off - phrasal verb

1. To put off until a later time: adjourn, defer, delay, hold up, postpone, remit, shelve, stay, suspend, table, waive. Informal wait. See do.
2. To hold oneself back: abstain, forbear, keep, refrain, withhold. See restraint.

hold out - phrasal verb

1. To be in existence or in a certain state for an indefinitely long time: abide, continue, endure, go on, last, persist, remain, stay. See continue.

hold up - phrasal verb

1. To put off until a later time: adjourn, defer, delay, hold off, postpone, remit, shelve, stay, suspend, table, waive. Informal wait. See do.
2. To cause to be later or slower than expected or desired: delay, detain, hang up, lag, retard, set back, slow(down or up), stall. See help. time.
3. To take property or possessions from (a person or company, for example) unlawfully and usually forcibly: rob, stick up. Slang heist, knock off. See crimes. give.
4. To withstand stress or difficulty: bear up, endure, stand up. See continue.

hold with - phrasal verb

1. To be favorably disposed toward: approve, countenance, favor. Informal go for. See praise.

hold - noun

1. An act or means of holding something: clasp, clench, clutch, grasp, grip. Sports grapple. See keep.
2. A strong or powerful influence: grasp, grip. See affect.
3. Firm control: grasp, grip. See control.
4. Intellectual hold: apprehension, comprehension, grasp, grip, understanding. Informal savvy. See knowledge.