hold up: Idiom Meaning and Origin
What does ‘hold up’ mean?
The idiom hold up means to delay or cause a delay, often due to unforeseen circumstances. It can also refer to something or someone being sturdy or remaining in good condition.
Idiom Explorer
The idiom "keep someone on ice" means to delay or postpone something, typically a decision or action involving someone, usually to wait and see how a situation develops before taking any further action.
The idiom "keep it up" means to continue doing something with the same effort and determination. It is often used to encourage or praise someone for their persistence or hard work.
The idiom "hold together" means to stay unified, despite challenges or difficulties, and not fall apart or disintegrate.
The idiom "hold the line" means to remain in a current position or keep a situation stable, often in the face of difficulty or opposition.
The idiom "hold over" means to delay or postpone something. It can be used to describe the continuation of a person's term in office or the extension of a deadline or appointment.
The idiom "hold off" means to delay or keep something or someone at a distance. It implies waiting or resisting until a more suitable time or condition.
The idiom "hold it together" means to remain composed or maintain self-control in a difficult or challenging situation.
The idiom *hold firm* means to remain determined and steadfast in one's position or belief, especially in the face of opposition or difficulties.
The Indomitable Stall.
The "hold up" idiom is commonly used in English to mean to delay or cause a delay. It can also refer to physically supporting or keeping something in an upright position. This versatile expression has both literal and figurative meanings and can be used in various contexts.
Literally, "hold up" means to physically support or keep something in an upright position. Imagine holding up a wall or a shelf, or any object that needs to remain elevated or vertical. The idiom is derived from this action of physically holding something up, highlighting the connection between the literal and figurative meanings of the phrase.
Figuratively, "hold up" is often used to describe situations or events that cause a delay or obstacle. It can refer to the interruption of a train service due to a technical problem or the delay in a project's completion. The idiom implies a temporary suspension, as if something is held in place or halted for a period of time.
An example of the idiomatic usage of "hold up" is: "The heavy rain held up our flight for several hours." In this case, the idiom indicates that the flight was delayed due to the rain, highlighting the temporary suspension of the departure.
Now let's explore how the idiom "hold up" relates to other idioms such as "hold out", "hold off", and "hold back".
The idiom "hold out" means to resist or withhold something. It can be used in various contexts, such as negotiations or resisting an urge. When related to "hold up", "hold out" can imply delaying negotiations or refusing to give in to a particular demand or request.
"Hold off" is another idiom that relates to "hold up". It means to postpone or delay an action. For example, you might say, "Let's hold off on making a decision until we have more information." When connected to "hold up", "hold off" suggests temporarily putting something on hold or delaying it.
The idiom "hold back" is also related to "hold up". It means to restrain or prevent the progress or development of something. When used in conjunction with "hold up", "hold back" can imply causing a delay or hindrance.
To summarize, the idiom "hold up" is commonly used to mean to delay or cause a delay. It can also refer to physically supporting or keeping something in an upright position. The origins of this idiom date back to the 17th century, and it has since become a widely used expression in various contexts. It is connected to other idioms such as "hold out", "hold off", and "hold back", which add additional layers of meaning and usage to the phrase.
The idiom "hold out" means to resist or withhold something. When related to "hold up", it can imply delaying negotiations or refusing to give in to a particular demand or request.
"Hold off" means to postpone or delay an action. When connected to "hold up", it suggests temporarily putting something on hold or delaying it for a period of time.
The idiom "hold back" means to restrain or prevent progress or development. When used in conjunction with "hold up", it can imply causing a delay or hindrance in the normal flow of events.
The idiom "hold up" has both literal and figurative meanings, with the ability to describe delays or obstacles. Its roots can be traced back to the 17th century, showcasing its long-standing presence in the English language. When used along with related idioms like "hold out", "hold off", and "hold back", the phrase takes on additional nuances and layers of interpretation, making it a versatile and dynamic expression.
Example usage
Examples of how the idiom "hold up" can be used in a sentence:
- The traffic accident held up the morning commuters.
- She held up the sign in protest.
- He held up his end of the bargain by completing the project on time.
More "Verb" idioms
