# hold one's water

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hold-ones-water
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To be patient; to control one's impulses.

## Examples

- Please hold your water until the meeting finishes.
- The investors were eager to sell, but the manager told them to hold their water until the market improved.
- Although the temptation to react to the provocative headline was immense, the editor advised his staff to hold their water until all the facts were verified.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.