holding

SayHOHL-ding/ˈhoʊldɪŋ/UK/ˈhəʊldɪŋ/

Noun pluralholdings

9 meanings of holding

1
keepingverb
Present participle and gerund of hold. It is the -ing form of the verb.
She is holding the baby gently in her arms.
They are holding hands as they walk to school.
Note
2
things ownednouncountable
Something a person or group owns, especially stocks and bonds.
Like the things you keep in a collection, but made of money and shares.
Her biggest holding is shares in a phone company.
He sold one of his holdings to pay for college.
UsageOften plural: her holdings, or a holding in a company.
Similarinvestment, asset, stake, position, security
Note
3
parent companynounnonstandardcountable
A company that owns and controls other companies, or a group of companies under common control.
UsageMost English writers say holding company instead.
Similarconglomerate, group
Note
4
court rulingnouncountable
A decision about the law that a court officially makes.
The judge explained the holding in simple terms.
Lawyers studied the court's holding before the appeal.
Similarruling, decision, judgment, finding
5
piece of landnouncountable
A piece of land, such as a farm, that you rent or hold from another owner.
His holding included a small farm and a barn.
The family worked the same holding for three generations.
Similarproperty, farm, plot, estate, tenancy
Note

holding is a form of hold

hold, verb: To have something in your hand or arms. Full entry

Forms: holdholds he/she/itholding -ing formheld past tense, past participle
Spelling: hold → holding: add -ing

Practice

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