Dictionary

hold back en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To act with reserve; to contain one's full measure or power.
   • The TSSA union, which along with the RMT represents many of the staff affected by the closures, hasn't held back on its criticism. 2023 October 4, Mel Holley, “Network News: Conservative MPs criticise ticket office closure plans”, in RAIL, number 993, page 23:
   • Don't hold back. Hit it as hard as you can.
2. (idiomatic, transitive) To contain; stop.
   • I was swallowing hard to hold back the tears.
   • His shyness holds him back from making friends.
   • 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. 2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1 - 1 Leeds”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2011:
   • The dam can't hold back that much water.
3. (idiomatic, transitive) To delay the progress of, especially in school.
   • He's a year older than his classmates, because he was held back in second grade.

Forms

Coordinates

restrain · bind · choke back · quench · set back · govern · curtail · hold back · stop · stifle · stay · restrict · inhibit · limit · straiten · smother · hold down · chasten · catch · pull back · throttle · guard · underbring · set back · subdue · bury · stand back · cork · dampen · contain · quell · behedge · curb · hamshackle · check · repress · hold down · withstrain · shackle · vanquish · hold off · withhold · suppress

Synonyms

pull punches

Translations (52)

pl powstrzymać (delay the progress of) · th กักเก็บ (to contain; to stop) · pl uniemożliwić (delay the progress of) · it fare complimenti (act with reserve) · es contenerse (act with reserve) · pl wstrzymywać (to contain; to stop) · de stoppen (to contain; to stop) · de zurückhalten (delay the progress of) · grc κατέχομαι (act with reserve) · uk стри́муватися (act with reserve) · es reprimirse (act with reserve) · mi whakatōmuri (delay the progress of) · es anquilosar (delay the progress of) · ru сде́рживать (act with reserve) · pl uniemożliwiać (delay the progress of) · th ฉุด (delay the progress of) · th รั้ง (delay the progress of) · pl wstrzymywać się (act with reserve) · es moderarse (act with reserve) · pl zatrzymywać (to contain; to stop) · de einengen (delay the progress of) · es impedir el avance de (delay the progress of) · es retrotraer (delay the progress of) · de hemmen (delay the progress of) · eo sin ĝeni (act with reserve) · ru держа́ть (to contain; to stop) · ru приде́рживать (act with reserve) · pl powstrzymać się (act with reserve) · es enfrenarse (act with reserve) · pl wstrzymać się (act with reserve) · ru сде́рживаться (act with reserve) · de aufhalten (delay the progress of) · pl powstrzymywać (delay the progress of) · de sich zügeln (act with reserve) · es reservarse (act with reserve) · de zurückhalten (to contain; to stop) · uk стри́матися (act with reserve) · ru приде́рживать / замедля́ть разви́тие (delay the progress of) · de sich bremsen (act with reserve) · ru оставля́ть на второ́й год (delay the progress of) · de bremsen (delay the progress of) · es frenarse (act with reserve) · th ออมมือ (act with reserve) · de aufhalten (to contain; to stop) · es refrenarse (act with reserve) · pl powstrzymywać się (act with reserve) · pl wstrzymać (to contain; to stop) · pl zatrzymać (to contain; to stop) · ru уде́рживать (to contain; to stop) · de sich zurückhalten (act with reserve) · es retrasar el progreso de (delay the progress of) · de bremsen (to contain; to stop)