" hold "

1: to have or keep in one's hands;

  * e.g., " ... this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder "

•  Synonyms : 

•  clench,

•  cling (to),

•  clutch,

•  grip

•  Antonyms : 

•  give up,

•  hand over,

•  release,

•  relinquish,

•  surrender,

•  yield

2: to continue to have in one's possession or power;

  * e.g., " ... she, and she alone, held the keys to the mysterious chest "

•  Synonyms : 

•  keep,

•  reserve,

•  retain,

•  withhold

•  Antonyms : 

•  lack,

•  want

3: to have as an opinion;

  * e.g., " ... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal "

•  Synonyms : 

•  allow,

•  believe,

•  conceive,

•  consider,

•  deem,

•  esteem,

•  feel,

•  figure,

•  guess,

•  imagine,

•  judge,

•  reckon,

•  suppose,

•  think

•  Antonyms : 

•  lose

1: as in fight, resist;

•  Synonyms : 

•  defy,

•  fight,

•  oppose,

•  resist,

•  stand off,

•  withstand,

•  beat off,

•  fend (off),

•  rebut,

•  repel,

•  repulse,

•  stave off,

•  turn away,

•  turn back,

•  deflect,

•  ward (off),

•  rebuff,

•  snub,

•  spurn

•  Antonyms : 

•  embrace,

•  hail,

•  welcome

2: as in put off, reserve;

•  Synonyms : 

•  defer,

•  postpone,

•  put off,

•  reserve,

•  shelve,

•  table,

•  break off,

•  disband,

•  discontinue,

•  disperse,

•  intermit,

•  interrupt,

•  dissolve,

•  end,

•  halt,

•  stop,

•  terminate,

•  adjourn,

•  prorogate,

•  prorogue,

•  recess,

•  suspend,

•  break up,

•  close,

•  conclude,

•  wind up,

•  wrap up,

•  abort,

•  call,

•  call off,

•  drop,

•  recall,

•  repeal,

•  rescind,

•  revoke,

•  abrogate,

•  annul,

•  invalidate,

•  negate,

•  nullify,

•  quash,

•  void

•  Antonyms : 

•  inaugurate,

•  launch,

•  open,

•  carry on,

•  continue,

•  draw out,

•  extend,

•  proceed,

•  prolong,

•  renew,

•  reopen,

•  resume,

•  assemble,

•  call,

•  convene,

•  convoke,

•  muster,

•  rally,

•  summon

1: as in hide, conceal;

•  Synonyms : 

•  cloak,

•  conceal,

•  enshroud,

•  hide,

•  mask,

•  obscure,

•  secrete,

•  shroud,

•  veil,

•  contain,

•  limit,

•  restrict

•  Antonyms : 

•  broadcast,

•  circulate,

•  disseminate,

•  propagate,

•  spread,

•  radiate,

•  sprawl,

•  diffuse,

•  dispense,

•  disperse,

•  dissipate,

•  scatter,

•  sow

1: as in last (beyond), persist (beyond);

•  Synonyms : 

•  abide (beyond),

•  endure (past),

•  hold (past),

•  last (beyond),

•  persist (beyond),

•  outstay,

•  draw out,

•  perpetuate,

•  survive,

•  succeed,

•  outlast,

•  outlive,

•  outwear

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: as in last (beyond), persist (beyond);

•  Synonyms : 

•  abide (beyond),

•  endure (past),

•  hold out (past),

•  last (beyond),

•  persist (beyond),

•  outstay,

•  draw out,

•  perpetuate,

•  survive,

•  succeed,

•  outlast,

•  outlive,

•  outwear

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to create difficulty for the work or activity of;

  * e.g., " ... the only thing holding them back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation "

•  Synonyms : 

•  clog,

•  cramp,

•  embarrass,

•  encumber,

•  fetter,

•  hamper,

•  handcuff,

•  handicap,

•  hinder,

•  hobble,

•  hog-tie,

•  hold up,

•  impede,

•  inhibit,

•  interfere (with),

•  manacle,

•  obstruct,

•  shackle,

•  short-circuit,

•  stymie,

•  tie up,

•  trammel

•  Antonyms : 

•  aid,

•  assist,

•  facilitate,

•  help

2: to refrain from openly showing or uttering;

  * e.g., " ... held back her tears until she was alone "

•  Synonyms : 

•  choke (back),

•  pocket,

•  repress,

•  sink,

•  smother,

•  stifle,

•  strangle,

•  submerge,

•  suppress,

•  swallow

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to set bounds or an upper limit for;

  * e.g., " ... efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending "

•  Synonyms : 

•  cap,

•  circumscribe,

•  confine,

•  limit,

•  restrict

•  Antonyms : 

•  exceed

1: the act or manner of holding;

  * e.g., " ... make sure you have a firm hold on the chain saw before you turn it on "

•  Synonyms : 

•  clasp,

•  clench,

•  grapple,

•  grasp,

•  grip,

•  handgrip,

•  handhold

•  Antonyms : 

•  impotence,

•  impotency,

•  powerlessness

2: a structure or place from which one can resist attack;

  * e.g., " ... the ruins of an ancient Roman hold "

•  Synonyms : 

•  bastion,

•  castle,

•  citadel,

•  fastness,

•  fort,

•  fortification,

•  fortress,

•  redoubt,

•  stronghold

•  Antonyms : 

•  incomprehension,

•  noncomprehension

3: the right or means to command or control others;

  * e.g., " ... the government has no hold over where we live and work "

•  Synonyms : 

•  arm,

•  authority,

•  clutch,

•  command,

•  control,

•  death grip,

•  dominion,

•  grip,

•  mastery,

•  power,

•  reign,

•  rein(s),

•  sway

•  Antonyms : 

•  discharge,

•  release

1: as in ties, fasteners;

•  Synonyms : 

•  fasteners,

•  hobbles,

•  holdings,

•  holds,

•  ties,

•  collars,

•  straitjackets,

•  entanglements,

•  nets,

•  trammels,

•  traps,

•  captivities,

•  confinements,

•  constraints,

•  curbs,

•  enchainments,

•  enslavements,

•  hindrances,

•  immurements,

•  imprisonments,

•  incarcerations,

•  restraints,

•  restrictions,

•  bands,

•  binds,

•  bonds,

•  bracelets,

•  chains,

•  cuffs,

•  fetters,

•  handcuffs,

•  irons,

•  ligatures,

•  manacles,

•  shackles

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: as in tie, fastener;

•  Synonyms : 

•  fastener,

•  hobble,

•  hold,

•  holding,

•  tie,

•  collar,

•  straitjacket,

•  entanglement,

•  net,

•  trammel,

•  trap,

•  captivity,

•  confinement,

•  constraint,

•  curb,

•  enchainment,

•  enslavement,

•  hindrance,

•  immurement,

•  imprisonment,

•  incarceration,

•  restraint,

•  restriction,

•  band,

•  bind,

•  bond,

•  bracelet,

•  chain,

•  cuff(s),

•  fetter,

•  handcuff(s),

•  irons,

•  ligature,

•  manacle(s),

•  shackle

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)