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hold out

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hold out

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From hold and out.

verb holds out · holding out · held out · hold-out · holdout

  1. literally, transitive To hold (something) out; to extend (something) forward. He held out his hand, and I grabbed it.
  2. figuratively To offer, present (a hope, possibility, opportunity etc.) The prospectus held out the promise of enormous profits to be made.
  3. idiomatic, often, with for To wait, or refuse in hopes of getting something better (from a negotiation, etc.) I am holding out for more money.
  4. idiomatic To survive, endure. How long can they hold out without water?
  5. idiomatic, usually, with on To withhold something. You've got a key! Why have you been holding out on me?
  6. transitive To set aside something or save it for later. Pack the boxes, but hold out a few blue ones for later.

noun hold outs · hold-out · holdout

  1. alternative Alternative spelling of holdout

Translations

Every language

verb hold (something) out, extend it forward

Españolextender
Русскийпротянуть protjanutʹ

verb to wait for something better

Españolesperar
日本語待つ matsu
中文等待 děngdài
Portuguêsesperar
Françaisattendre
Deutschabwarten, ausharren, (beharrlich) warten, (unbeirrbar) warten
Ελληνικάπεριμένω periméno

verb endure

Españolaguantar, resistir
日本語持ち堪える mochikotaeru
Portuguêsprevalecer
Françaistenir bon
Deutschaushalten
Italianoresistere, sopravvivere
Русскийпротянуть protjanutʹ

verb withhold something

Españolretener
Deutschzurückhalten
Italianoaspettarsi
Русскийскрыть skrytʹ, утаить utaitʹ

verb to save something for later

Españolguardar
Deutschaufheben, aufsparen

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"hold out." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/hold%20out. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

hold out. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/hold%20out

Chicago

"hold out." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/hold%20out.

BibTeX
@misc{hold_out_2026,
  title = {hold out},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/hold%20out},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}