hold out on
phr. v..phr. v.. to keep information or something else from someone who has a right to know it.
phr. v.. to withhold information, money, or a decision from an interested party, often to gain a strategic advantage or maintain a secret.
Don't hold out on me; tell me what she said.
The witness was clearly holding out on the police regarding the suspect's whereabouts during the night of the crime.
The union leaders suspected the management was holding out on the true profit margins to avoid a significant wage increase during negotiations.
- Particles
- out on
- Separability
- inseparable
- Pattern
- hold + out + on + object
usually followed by a person as the object; implies a level of secrecy or unfairness.
contrast with 'keep from' which is more general; 'hold out on' often implies the person being kept in the dark is being treated unfairly or is being teased.
He is holding out me.He is holding out on me.the preposition 'on' is essential to connect the action to the person being deprived of the information.