hold

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

n. grasp, clutch, grip; tenure, possession; control, influence, domination; ownership, keeping; anchor, rein. —v. have, occupy, retain, own, possess; restrain, repress, control, pinion, curb; check, stop, interrupt, pause; clutch, grasp, grip, seize; pin, clip, fasten; believe, declare, opine, state, think; insist, persist; last, endure, continue; cling, cleave, stick, adhere; keep, defend, protect, guard.

See belief, coherence, defense, durability, restraint, retention, store, support, composition, authority.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

Syn. grasp, clutch, clasp; see grip 1 , 2 .

• catch hold of,

Syn. take, grasp, catch; see seize 1 .

• get hold of,

Syn.

1. take, grasp, catch; see seize 1 .

2. get, acquire, receive; see obtain 1 .

• lay or [m1]• take hold of,

Syn. take, grasp, get; see seize 1 .

• no holds barred*,

Syn. without rules, unrestricted, unrestrained; see unlimited .

v.

1. [To have in one's grasp]

Syn. grasp, grip, clutch, carry, embrace, clench, cling to, detain, enclose, restrain, confine, check, take hold of, contain, hold down, hold onto, not let go, never let go, hang on, have a firm hold of, squeeze, press, secure, hug, handle, fondle, have in hand, keep in hand, keep fast, retain, keep, keep a grasp on, maintain a grasp on, clasp, hold fast, hold tight, keep a firm hold on, tie, keep close, unite, palm, take, catch, clinch, fasten upon, cradle, have an iron grip on*, hang on to*; see also seize 1 .

Ant. let fall, release*, let go.

2. [To have in one's possession]

Syn. keep, retain, possess; see maintain 3 , own 1 .

3. [To remain firm]

Syn. resist, persevere, keep staunch; see continue 1 , endure 2 .

4. [To adhere]

Syn. attach, cling, take hold; see adhere to , fasten 1 , stick 1 .

5. [To be valid]

Syn. exist, continue, remain true, have bearing, be the case, endure, be in effect, operate, be in force; see also be 1 .

Ant. stop*, expire, be out-of-date.

6. [To believe]

Syn. regard, aver, judge; see believe 1 , think 1 .

7. [To contain]

Syn. have the capacity for, accommodate, be equipped for; see contain 1 , include 1 .

8. [To support; often used with up ]

Syn. sustain, brace, buttress, prop, lock, stay, shoulder, underpin, uphold, underprop, shore up, bear up, bolster up; see also support 1 .

See Synonym Study at contain .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

influence, grip, control, sway, pull, effect, *clout.

II

v.

1. grip clutch, grasp, clasp, clench, carry, embrace, squeeze, palm, cradle, handle, wield.

2. possess have, retain, keep, own, secure, maintain, contain.

3. believe maintain, think, feel, reckon, view, deem, assume, surmise, espouse, swear by.

4. check restrain, restrict, suspend, postpone.

5. persist continue, last, endure, stay, remain.

6. support uphold, bear, shoulder.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I verb 1. To put one's arms around affectionately: clasp, embrace, enfold, hug, press, squeeze. Slang: clinch. Archaic: bosom, clip2, 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: bit2, 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. Idiom: be of the opinion. 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. Idiom: have it. See AFFIRM. 14. To view in a certain way: believe, feel, sense, think. See OPINION. 15. To prove valid under scrutiny. Also used with up: prove out, stand up. Informal: wash. Idioms: hold water, pass muster, ring true. See TRUE. 16. To organize and carry out (an activity): give, have, stage. See CONTROL, PLANNED. II noun 1. An act or means of holding something: clasp, clench, clutch1, 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.