hold out
To wait, or refuse in hopes of getting something better (from a negotiation, etc.)
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He'll hold out for a better offer.”
“The workers decided to hold out for higher wages, even though the strike was costing them money.”
“Despite pressure from her agent to sign immediately, the young author chose to hold out, confident that a larger publisher would eventually bid for her manuscript.”
From *hold* and *out*, recorded from the mid-16th century. The phrasal verb functions as a routine Germanic compound, combining the primary verb of containment with the adverb of extension.
- 01
apron-string hold
An estate held by a man during his wife's life.
- 02
buy and hold
A passive investment strategy where an investor purchases an asset and retains it for many years, rather than trading it frequently.
- 03
don't hold your breath
Don't wait. Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned is unlikely to happen soon or at all.
- 04
hold a grudge
To stay angry (at someone or something).
- 05
hold a light
Synonym of hold a candle.
- 06
hold back
To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power.
- 07
hold by the button
To detain in conversation to the point of weariness or tedium; to bore while tallking to
- 08
hold cheap
To have a low esteem for (someone or something); to hold in contempt; to look down upon.
Last updated August 10, 2026