hold back

hold back
phrasal verb
Word forms "hold back":
present tense I/you/we/they hold back he/she/it holds back present participle holding back past tense held back past participle held back
1) [transitive] to stop someone or something from moving forwards

Ollie had to hold Tom back to prevent him retaliating.

Her hair was held back by two clips.

2)
a) [transitive] to stop someone from being as successful as they should

Her parents worried that her classmates were holding her back.

b) to stop something from progressing or developing as it should

Long-term water shortages can hold economic development back.

3) [intransitive/transitive] to decide not to do or say something, or to make someone decide not to do or say something

He held back, remembering the mistake he had made before.

4) [transitive] to not show what you are thinking or feeling

Joe held back his anger.

She bit her lip to hold back the tears.

5) [transitive] to not allow someone to have something, for example money

They held back the final payment because they weren't satisfied with the work.


English dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • hold back — hold, withhold, reserve, detain, retain, *keep, keep back, keep out …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • hold back — ► hold back hesitate. Main Entry: ↑hold …   English terms dictionary

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  • hold back — v. 1) (D; tr.) ( to keep ) to hold back from (lack of education held him back from promotion) 2) (d; intr.) to hold back with (to hold back with one s reserves) * * * [ həʊld bæk] (D; tr.) ( to keep ) to hold back from (lack of education held him …   Combinatory dictionary

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