"hold back" meaning in English

See hold back in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Audio: en-au-hold back.ogg Forms: holds back [present, singular, third-person], holding back [participle, present], held back [participle, past], held back [past]
Head templates: {{en-verb|hold<,,held> back}} hold back (third-person singular simple present holds back, present participle holding back, simple past and past participle held back)
  1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power. Tags: idiomatic, intransitive Synonyms: pull punches Translations (act with reserve): κατέχομαι (katékhomai) (Ancient Greek), sich zügeln (German), sich zurückhalten (German), sich bremsen (German), fare complimenti (Italian), сде́рживать (sdérživatʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), сде́рживаться (sdérživatʹsja) [imperfective] (Russian), приде́рживать (alt: силы) (Russian), стри́муватися (strýmuvatysja) [imperfective] (Ukrainian), стри́матися (strýmatysja) [perfective] (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-hold_back-en-verb-2~de52Xs Disambiguation of 'act with reserve': 100 0 0
  2. (idiomatic, transitive) To contain; stop. Tags: idiomatic, transitive Translations (to contain; to stop): zurückhalten (German), aufhalten (German), bremsen (German), stoppen (German), уде́рживать (udérživatʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), держа́ть (deržátʹ) [imperfective] (Russian)
    Sense id: en-hold_back-en-verb-bQEiKRAy Disambiguation of 'to contain; to stop': 20 79 1
  3. (idiomatic, transitive) To delay the progress of, especially in school. Tags: idiomatic, transitive Translations (delay the progress of): hemmen (German), bremsen (German), einengen (German), aufhalten (German), zurückhalten (German), whakatōmuri (Maori), приде́рживать / замедля́ть разви́тие (pridérživatʹ / zamedljátʹ razvítije) [imperfective] (Russian), оставля́ть на второ́й год (ostavljátʹ na vtorój god) [imperfective] (Russian)
    Sense id: en-hold_back-en-verb-UJDjp4e3 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English phrasal verbs formed with "back", Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Ancient Greek translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Maori translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Ukrainian translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 5 5 90 Disambiguation of English phrasal verbs formed with "back": 10 9 81 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 12 12 76 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 7 8 85 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 5 5 90 Disambiguation of Terms with Ancient Greek translations: 13 15 72 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 14 10 75 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 11 11 78 Disambiguation of Terms with Maori translations: 11 10 79 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 11 11 78 Disambiguation of Terms with Ukrainian translations: 11 10 79 Disambiguation of 'delay the progress of': 2 3 95

Inflected forms

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "holds back",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "holding back",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "held back",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "held back",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "hold<,,held> back"
      },
      "expansion": "hold back (third-person singular simple present holds back, present participle holding back, simple past and past participle held back)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Don't hold back. Hit it as hard as you can.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 October 4, Mel Holley, “Network News: Conservative MPs criticise ticket office closure plans”, in RAIL, number 993, page 23:",
          "text": "The TSSA union, which along with the RMT represents many of the staff affected by the closures, hasn't held back on its criticism.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power."
      ],
      "id": "en-hold_back-en-verb-2~de52Xs",
      "links": [
        [
          "reserve",
          "reserve"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, intransitive) To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "pull punches"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "intransitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "act with reserve",
          "word": "sich zügeln"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "act with reserve",
          "word": "sich zurückhalten"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "act with reserve",
          "word": "sich bremsen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "roman": "katékhomai",
          "sense": "act with reserve",
          "word": "κατέχομαι"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "act with reserve",
          "word": "fare complimenti"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "sdérživatʹ",
          "sense": "act with reserve",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "сде́рживать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "sdérživatʹsja",
          "sense": "act with reserve",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "сде́рживаться"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "alt": "силы",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "sense": "act with reserve",
          "word": "приде́рживать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "strýmuvatysja",
          "sense": "act with reserve",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "стри́муватися"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "strýmatysja",
          "sense": "act with reserve",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "стри́матися"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The dam can't hold back that much water.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1 - 1 Leeds”, in BBC:",
          "text": "Fabregas coolly slotted home after Ben Parker held back Theo Walcott and only a super Kasper Schmeichel save stopped Denilson winning it for the Gunners.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To contain; stop."
      ],
      "id": "en-hold_back-en-verb-bQEiKRAy",
      "links": [
        [
          "contain",
          "contain"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, transitive) To contain; stop."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "20 79 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to contain; to stop",
          "word": "zurückhalten"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 79 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to contain; to stop",
          "word": "aufhalten"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 79 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to contain; to stop",
          "word": "bremsen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 79 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to contain; to stop",
          "word": "stoppen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 79 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "udérživatʹ",
          "sense": "to contain; to stop",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "уде́рживать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 79 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "deržátʹ",
          "sense": "to contain; to stop",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "держа́ть"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "5 5 90",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 9 81",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English phrasal verbs formed with \"back\"",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 12 76",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "7 8 85",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "5 5 90",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 15 72",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Ancient Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 10 75",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 11 78",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 10 79",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Maori translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 11 78",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 10 79",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Ukrainian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Coordinate term: set back"
        },
        {
          "text": "He's a year older than his classmates, because he was held back in second grade.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To delay the progress of, especially in school."
      ],
      "id": "en-hold_back-en-verb-UJDjp4e3",
      "links": [
        [
          "delay",
          "delay"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, transitive) To delay the progress of, especially in school."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "2 3 95",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "delay the progress of",
          "word": "hemmen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 3 95",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "delay the progress of",
          "word": "bremsen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 3 95",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "delay the progress of",
          "word": "einengen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 3 95",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "delay the progress of",
          "word": "aufhalten"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 3 95",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "delay the progress of",
          "word": "zurückhalten"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 3 95",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "delay the progress of",
          "word": "whakatōmuri"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 3 95",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "pridérživatʹ / zamedljátʹ razvítije",
          "sense": "delay the progress of",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "приде́рживать / замедля́ть разви́тие"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 3 95",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ostavljátʹ na vtorój god",
          "sense": "delay the progress of",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "оставля́ть на второ́й год"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "en-au-hold back.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d9/En-au-hold_back.ogg/En-au-hold_back.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/En-au-hold_back.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "hold back"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English phrasal verbs",
    "English phrasal verbs formed with \"back\"",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Ancient Greek translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Maori translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Ukrainian translations"
  ],
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "holds back",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "holding back",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "held back",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "held back",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "hold<,,held> back"
      },
      "expansion": "hold back (third-person singular simple present holds back, present participle holding back, simple past and past participle held back)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English intransitive verbs",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Don't hold back. Hit it as hard as you can.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 October 4, Mel Holley, “Network News: Conservative MPs criticise ticket office closure plans”, in RAIL, number 993, page 23:",
          "text": "The TSSA union, which along with the RMT represents many of the staff affected by the closures, hasn't held back on its criticism.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "reserve",
          "reserve"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, intransitive) To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "pull punches"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "intransitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The dam can't hold back that much water.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1 - 1 Leeds”, in BBC:",
          "text": "Fabregas coolly slotted home after Ben Parker held back Theo Walcott and only a super Kasper Schmeichel save stopped Denilson winning it for the Gunners.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To contain; stop."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "contain",
          "contain"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, transitive) To contain; stop."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Coordinate term: set back"
        },
        {
          "text": "He's a year older than his classmates, because he was held back in second grade.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To delay the progress of, especially in school."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "delay",
          "delay"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, transitive) To delay the progress of, especially in school."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "en-au-hold back.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d9/En-au-hold_back.ogg/En-au-hold_back.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/En-au-hold_back.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "act with reserve",
      "word": "sich zügeln"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "act with reserve",
      "word": "sich zurückhalten"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "act with reserve",
      "word": "sich bremsen"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "roman": "katékhomai",
      "sense": "act with reserve",
      "word": "κατέχομαι"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "act with reserve",
      "word": "fare complimenti"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "sdérživatʹ",
      "sense": "act with reserve",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "сде́рживать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "sdérživatʹsja",
      "sense": "act with reserve",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "сде́рживаться"
    },
    {
      "alt": "силы",
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "sense": "act with reserve",
      "word": "приде́рживать"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "strýmuvatysja",
      "sense": "act with reserve",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "стри́муватися"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "strýmatysja",
      "sense": "act with reserve",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "стри́матися"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to contain; to stop",
      "word": "zurückhalten"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to contain; to stop",
      "word": "aufhalten"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to contain; to stop",
      "word": "bremsen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to contain; to stop",
      "word": "stoppen"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "udérživatʹ",
      "sense": "to contain; to stop",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "уде́рживать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "deržátʹ",
      "sense": "to contain; to stop",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "держа́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "delay the progress of",
      "word": "hemmen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "delay the progress of",
      "word": "bremsen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "delay the progress of",
      "word": "einengen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "delay the progress of",
      "word": "aufhalten"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "delay the progress of",
      "word": "zurückhalten"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "delay the progress of",
      "word": "whakatōmuri"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "pridérživatʹ / zamedljátʹ razvítije",
      "sense": "delay the progress of",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "приде́рживать / замедля́ть разви́тие"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ostavljátʹ na vtorój god",
      "sense": "delay the progress of",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "оставля́ть на второ́й год"
    }
  ],
  "word": "hold back"
}

Download raw JSONL data for hold back meaning in English (6.0kB)

{
  "called_from": "form_descriptions/2028",
  "msg": "more than one value in \"alt\": pridérživatʹ (sily) vs. силы",
  "path": [
    "hold back"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "verb",
  "title": "hold back",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.