hold up

verb holds up · holding up · held up

1. informal, intransitive To wait or delay. Hold up a minute. I want to check something.
2. transitive To impede; detain. I've got to get to work now. Why are you holding me up?
3. idiomatic, transitive To detain by threatening, usually with a weapon, in order to commit robbery. The guy tried to hold up a bank.
4. transitive To support or lift. Hold up the table while I slide this underneath.
5. figuratively, transitive To highlight, as if lifting up for display. His lectures held up Napoleon as an example of the phenomenon.
6. idiomatic, transitive To fulfil or complete one's part of an agreement. I don't think he's holding up his end of the bargain.
7. idiomatic, intransitive To withstand; to stand up to; to survive. hold up to scrutiny
8. intransitive To keep up; not to fall behind; not to lose ground. For what will the World say; Why could not he hold up? What made him come on so heavily, but that he wanted either Management or Metal
9. idiomatic, intransitive To maintain composure despite hardship. how're you holdin up?
10. intransitive To continue to be seen as favorable, to avoid seeming dated. Bride of Frankenstein is an old film, but it holds up.