hold on

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hold on (third-person singular simple present holds on, present participle holding on, simple past and past participle held on)

1. To grasp or grip firmly.

   Synonyms: belock, hold tight; see also Thesaurus:grasp

   Hold on tightly to the railing.

2. (idiomatic) To keep; to store something for someone.

   Synonyms: keep, store

   Hold on to my umbrella while I ride the roller coaster.

3. (idiomatic) To retain an advantage.

   I'm holding on to my trump cards until I really need them.

4. (idiomatic) Wait a short while.

   Synonyms: cool one's heels, hang on; see also Thesaurus:wait

   Hold on while I get my coat.

   • 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 5, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:

     The departure was not unduly prolonged. In the road Mr. Love and the driver favoured the company with a brief chanty running. “Got it?—No, I ain't, 'old on,—Got it? Got it?—No, 'old on sir.”

5. (idiomatic) To remain loyal.

   Synonyms: keep faith; see also Thesaurus:keep faith

   He didn't give up his fandom when others did; he held on.

6. (idiomatic) To persist.

   Synonyms: go on, last, remain; see also Thesaurus:persist

   • 1723, Jonathan Swift, Some Arguments Against Enlarging the Power of Bishops:

     This trade held on for many years.

   • 2010 December 29, Sam Sheringham, “Liverpool 0-1 Wolverhampton”, in BBC:

     That scare aside, Wolves had little trouble in holding on for their first league away win of the season and their first over the Reds since little-known striker Steve Mardenborough gave them a victory at Anfield in January 1984.

The phrasal verb hold on is intransitive, but the phrasal verb hold on to is transitive.

• hang on
• hold up
• on hold

• on hold, onhold