Hold out meaning
Hold out means to put your hand or something in it towards someone. It can also mean to keep going and not give in, in a difficult situation.
hold something out
hold out · held · holding
He held out his hand and said, “Nice to meet you.”
Hold out meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Put your hand or something in it towards someone
hold something out
- He held out his hand and said, “Nice to meet you.”
- She held out a cup of tea for me.
- Got your plate? Hold it out and I’ll give you some rice.
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2
Keep going and not give in, in a difficult situation
hold out
- The workers held out for better pay for six weeks.
- I held out for an hour, then ate the chocolate.
- They can’t hold out much longer without food.
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3
Last, used for supplies like food or money
hold out
- Will the water hold out until we reach the town?
- Our money held out until the last day of the trip.
- The phone battery didn’t hold out for the whole flight.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use hold out in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is hold out separable?
When it means offer with your hand, hold out is separable: hold out your hand or hold your hand out. When it means keep going, it has no object; add for to say what you want: hold out for a better offer.
Hold out on someone means keep something secret from them: You’re holding out on me! It is informal.
Verb tenses for hold out
| Present | I hold out · she holds out |
|---|---|
| Past | held out |
| Present perfect | have held out |
| -ing form | holding out |
Common mistakes with hold out
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: She held out it to me.
Right: She held it out to me.
A pronoun goes between hold and out.
Wrong: We held out to a higher salary.
Right: We held out for a higher salary.
Use hold out for + the thing you want.
Wrong: He held up his hand to shake mine.
Right: He held out his hand to shake mine.
Hold out means towards someone; hold up means into the air.
Synonyms and opposites of hold out
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- reach outstretch your arm towards something or someone
- offersay or show that someone can have something
- hold onmanage to continue for a short time in danger
Hold out quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1The doctor ___ her hand for the X-ray.
Hold out your hand means put it towards someone.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use hold out for + the thing you want.
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3“Our food won’t hold out for another week.” What does it mean?
Supplies hold out when they last.
More phrasal verbs with hold
5 phrasal verbs start with hold. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Hold out FAQ
Questions people ask about hold out.
What does hold out for mean?
It means wait and refuse less until you get what you want: She’s holding out for a better job offer.
What does stop holding out on me mean?
It is informal and means stop hiding something from me and tell me.
What is a holdout?
A holdout is a person who still refuses when others have agreed: He was the last holdout in the team.
Use hold out in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.