hold one's water en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(dated) To restrain one's urge to urinate.
[…] and if there is much oozing of blood, the application of ice to the penis. The patient is then instructed to hold his water as long as possible.
1877, Shirley Bragg MD, “Structure of the Male Urethra, with Report of Cases,”, in Atlanta Medical and Surgical Journal, Volume 14, pages 645–6:
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(idiomatic) To be patient; to control one's impulses.
Hold your water, I'll get to you in a minute.
"C'mon, move it! Get your ass in gear!" […] "Hold your water!" Stiehl yelled back. "I'm writing farewell letters."
2011, Thomas Swan, chapter 1, in The Da Vinci Deception: An Inspector Jack Oxby Novel, →ISBN:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| holds one's water | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| held one's water | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| held one's water | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| holding one's water | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Relateds
Synonyms
hold one's water · defer · hold out · hang on · hold one's horses · mark time · abide · wait · back that train up · hold one's breath · bide · bide one's time · stay · twiddle one's thumbs · hold on · stand by · hold it · expect