hold up

Formsholds up, holding up, held up

1. 1
   cause delayphrasal verbtransitive

   To make someone or something late or slow by getting in the way.

   An accident on the bridge held up traffic for an hour.

   Sorry I'm late, my boss held me up with questions.

   Similardelay, detain, slow

   Note
2. 2
   waitphrasal verbcolloquialintransitive

   To wait, or to stop for a while before doing something.

   Hold up! You forgot your keys.

   Let's hold up until everyone gets here.

   Similarwait, stop, pause

3. 3
   stop and robphrasal verbidiomatictransitive

   To rob a person or a store by scaring them, usually with a gun or knife.

   Two men held up the gas station last night.

   The robbers tried to hold up a bus full of tourists.

   Similarrob

4. 4
   keep raisedphrasal verbtransitive

   To carry the weight of something or lift it up.

   Four thick posts hold up the roof of the porch.

   She held up her long skirt so it would not get wet.

   Similarsupport, raise, lift, bear

5. 5
   survive testingphrasal verbidiomaticintransitive

   To stay strong and not break or fail when tested.

   These boots held up through two winters of hiking.

   Will her story hold up in court?

   Similarlast, endure, survive

   Oppositefail

   Note
6. 6
   copephrasal verbidiomaticintransitive

   To stay calm and strong during a hard time.

   How is your mom holding up after the surgery?

   She held up well during the long trial.

   Similarcope, manage

   Note
7. 7
   a delaynoun · hold-upcolloquialcountable

   A delay, or a time when you have to wait.

   Sorry for the hold-up, the printer was out of paper.

   There was a long hold-up at the border.

   Similardelay, postponement

   Note
8. 8
   armed robberynoun · hold-upslangcountable

   A crime where someone points a gun at people and takes their money or things.

   The store clerk stayed calm during the hold-up.

   There were two hold-ups on this street last month.

   Similarstickup

   Note
9. 9
   age wellphrasal verbintransitive

   Of a movie, book, or song, to still seem good years later and not old-fashioned.

   I watched my favorite cartoon from when I was little, and it still holds up.

   Does that old video game hold up today?

   Similarendure, last

   Note
10. 10
    do your partphrasal verbidiomatictransitive

    To do the part of a deal that you promised to do.

    I did the cooking, but you didn't hold up your end and wash the dishes.

    She always holds up her side of the deal.

    Similarfulfill, honor, keep

    Note

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