20 Phrasal Verbs with HOLD | HOLD英文片語動詞完整指南

Native English speakers use HOLD constantly — and almost never with just its dictionary meaning. When a colleague says “hold on,” they’re not necessarily picking anything up. When a movie plot “holds together,” nothing is falling apart. When someone “holds back,” they might be suppressing tears or hiding information. The same four letters create entirely different meanings depending on the particle attached. Once you master these 20 HOLD phrasal verbs, a huge range of natural conversation suddenly makes sense.

This is part of an ongoing phrasal verb series on 18K English. If you’re new, start with the particle system guide (UP/OUT/OFF/DOWN/ON) — it explains the logic behind many of the forms below.

1. Hold On [1] | 等一下、稍等

“Hold on” in its most common usage simply means wait. You’ll hear it constantly in casual conversation, on the phone, and in service situations. It’s less formal than “please wait” and more direct than “just a moment.”

• “Hold on, I need to find my keys before we leave.” （等一下，我得先找到鑰匙才能走。）
• “Can you hold on for a second? I’m in the middle of something.” （你能等一下嗎？我正在做某件事。）
• “Hold on — did you just say you quit your job?” （等等——你剛才說你辭職了？）

Notice how the third example uses “hold on” as an interruption — the speaker is so surprised they stop the conversation to process what they heard. That’s a very natural, high-frequency usage that doesn’t show up in textbooks.

Hold on: the simplest instruction for patience — one of English’s most-used phrasal verbs.

2. Hold On [2] | 撐下去、堅持

“Hold on” also means to persist through difficulty — to not give up despite pressure. The context usually makes it clear: someone is struggling, and “hold on” is encouragement to keep going.

• “Hold on! We’re almost at the top of the mountain.” （撐住！我們快到山頂了。）
• “"Cô ấy held on through three rounds of funding rejections before finally getting investment.” （她在被拒絕三輪融資後仍然堅持，最終獲得了投資。）
• “The patient held on through the night until the ambulance arrived.” （病患撐過了夜晚，直到救護車到達。）

When used this way, “hold on” carries real emotional weight. It acknowledges that something is hard and affirms that the person can get through it. It’s the most natural way to encourage someone who’s struggling in English.

3. Hold On To | 保留、抓緊、不放手

“Hold on to” means to keep something — either physically (don’t drop it) or metaphorically (don’t lose it). The “to” makes it transitive; you must hold on to something specific.

• “Hold on to your receipt in case you need to return it.” （保留收據，以防需要退貨。）
• “He held on to his old phone for years before finally upgrading.” （他把舊手機用了好多年才終於換新的。）
• “Hold on to that feeling — you’ll need it when things get hard.” （抓住那種感覺——當事情變難的時候你會需要它。）

The third example shows an abstract use: you can hold on to feelings, memories, beliefs, or dreams — not just physical objects. This metaphorical use is extremely common in motivational speech and everyday advice.

Hold on to: keep what matters — whether it’s a receipt, a job offer, or a feeling.

4. Hold Up [1] | 延誤、耽擱

“Hold up” as a verb means to delay. When something or someone “holds you up,” they slow your progress or prevent you from being on time. The noun form “a holdup” means a delay.

• “Sorry I’m late — I got held up in traffic.” （抱歉我遲到了——我被交通堵住了。）
• “The project is being held up by a problem with the supplier.” （這個項目因為供應商的問題被延誤了。）
• “What’s the holdup? We’ve been waiting for 20 minutes.” （到底怎麼了？我們已經等了20分鐘了。）

Taiwanese learners often confuse “got held up” with “got robbed” (see meaning #5 below). Context is the key: “held up in traffic” = delayed; “held up at gunpoint” = robbed. The preposition after the phrase usually clarifies the meaning.

Hold up (delay): traffic jams, slow suppliers, unexpected problems — they all hold you up.

5. Hold Up [2] | 搶劫

In criminal contexts, “hold up” means to rob someone at gunpoint or with a weapon. This meaning comes from the command “Hands up!” — the robber “holds up” the victim by threatening them. The noun “a holdup” or “a hold-up” means an armed robbery.

• “The convenience store was held up at 2 AM by two armed men.” （那家便利商店在凌晨2點被兩名持槍男子搶劫了。）
• “He tried to hold up the bank but was caught before leaving the building.” （他試圖搶劫銀行，但在離開大樓之前就被抓住了。）
• “There was a hold-up at the gas station last night.” （昨晚加油站發生了一起搶劫案。）

This meaning appears constantly in crime news, detective stories, and action films. If you watch American TV dramas, you’ll encounter it regularly — and the context will always make it clear whether the delay or the robbery meaning applies.

6. Hold Up [3] | 撐住、支撐、站得住腳

“Hold up” also means to physically support something or to remain intact under pressure. When you ask if a plan or structure “holds up,” you’re asking if it’s strong enough to survive scrutiny or stress.

• “These old wooden beams are what hold up the entire roof.” （這些舊木樑是撐起整個屋頂的支撐。）
• “His story didn’t hold up under questioning.” （他的說法在盤問下站不住腳。）
• “How is she holding up? She went through a lot recently.” （她還撐得住嗎？她最近經歷了很多。）

The third example — “how are you holding up?” — is a culturally important check-in phrase. It’s what you say to someone who has been through difficulty. It’s warmer and more specific than “how are you?” because it acknowledges the struggle directly.

7. Hold Back [1] | 阻止、克制（他人）

“Hold back” means to stop someone or something from moving forward — to restrain. The subject does the restraining; the object is the person or thing being stopped.

• “The security guard held back the crowd until the doors opened.” （保安在門開之前阻止了人群向前推進。）
• “What’s holding back economic growth in this sector?” （是什麼阻礙了這個行業的經濟增長？）
• “Nothing can hold back someone who is truly determined.” （沒有什麼能阻止一個真正下定決心的人。）

The phrase “nothing can hold you back” is motivational shorthand in English — you’ll hear it in graduation speeches, coaching sessions, and productivity content. Learning it means you’ll recognize it everywhere.

Hold back: restraining a crowd, a reaction, or your own feelings — same verb, different drama.

8. Hold Back [2] | 忍住、不說出來

The reflexive version of “hold back” means to suppress your own reaction or withhold information. When you hold back tears, anger, or a secret, you’re exercising self-control.

• “She was holding back tears during the farewell speech.” （她在告別演講時強忍著眼淚。）
• “I could tell he was holding something back — he knew more than he was saying.” （我看得出他在隱瞞什麼——他知道的比他說的多。）
• “Don’t hold back your feedback — I need to hear the honest version.” （不要隱瞞你的反饋——我需要聽到誠實的版本。）

In business settings, “don’t hold back” is an invitation to be candid. It signals that the speaker wants real feedback, not polite hedging. Knowing this phrase makes professional conversations in English much clearer.

9. Hold Down [1] | 維持（工作）

“Hold down a job” is a fixed phrase meaning to keep a job — to remain employed and functional despite challenges. It implies the job is difficult to maintain for some reason: health issues, instability, or personal problems.

• “He struggled to hold down a job after the accident.” （事故後，他很難維持工作。）
• “She’s been able to hold down three part-time positions while raising two kids.” （她一邊撫養兩個孩子，一邊能夠維持三份兼職工作。）
• “Can he hold down this position for more than six months? That’s the question.” （他能在這個職位上撐超過六個月嗎？這才是問題所在。）

This phrase implies some form of difficulty or instability in the background. If someone says “I’ve been holding down this job for five years,” they’re suggesting it hasn’t been easy — which makes the achievement more impressive.

Hold down a job: staying employed through difficulty is exactly what this phrasal verb describes.

10. Hold Down [2] | 壓低、限制

“Hold down” also means to keep something at a low level — to prevent it from rising or growing. This is commonly used for costs, prices, noise, and numbers.

• “The company is trying to hold down costs without cutting staff.” （這家公司試圖在不裁員的情況下壓低成本。）
• “Hold down the noise, please — the baby is sleeping.” （請安靜一點——寶寶在睡覺。）
• “Inflation was held down by government price controls for most of the decade.” （通貨膨脹在那個十年的大部分時間裡都被政府價格管制所壓制。）

In formal reports and economic commentary, “hold down” appears regularly alongside words like “inflation,” “wages,” and “rates.” Recognizing this usage will help you read financial news in English more quickly.

11. Hold Off [1] | 推遲、延後

“Hold off” means to delay doing something — to put off an action until a better time. It’s slightly more decisive than “wait” because it implies an intentional choice to delay.

• “Let’s hold off on making that decision until we get more data.” （讓我們把這個決定推遲到我們獲得更多數據之後再做。）
• “She decided to hold off buying a new laptop until the next model releases.” （她決定等到下一款型號發布後再買新筆記型電腦。）
• “Can you hold off signing the contract for a few more days?” （你能再等幾天再簽合約嗎？）

“Hold off on” is the standard construction — you hold off on a decision, a purchase, an announcement. If someone says “I’m holding off on this,” they’ve made a deliberate choice to wait, not just forgotten to act.

12. Hold Off [2] | 擋住、抵擋

In a more physical or competitive context, “hold off” means to resist an attack, resist an opponent, or prevent someone from overtaking you. This is common in sports, military history, and competitive business.

• “The team managed to hold off their rivals in the final five minutes.” （這支球隊在最後五分鐘成功抵擋住對手的進攻。）
• “The small town held off the invaders for six days without reinforcement.” （這個小鎮在沒有增援的情況下抵擋了入侵者六天。）
• “Can their lead hold off the competition through the end of the quarter?” （他們的領先優勢能否在整個季度末抵擋住競爭？）

The underlying image is the same — you’re preventing something from advancing. Whether it’s a purchasing decision or an opposing team, holding off means you stay in control of what comes at you.

13. Hold Out [1] | 撐下去、堅持抵抗

“Hold out” means to survive or resist under pressure — to last despite difficulty. It carries a sense of determination: the person or thing refuses to give in even when conditions are tough.

• “The rescue team estimated the survivors could hold out for another 48 hours.” （救援隊估計倖存者還能再撐48小時。）
• “He held out against a much stronger opponent for all five rounds.” （他在所有五個回合中頂住了比他強得多的對手。）
• “How long can this business model hold out against cheaper competitors?” （這種商業模式能抵擋更便宜的競爭者多久？）

“Holding out” implies both endurance and stubborn refusal to capitulate. It’s a hero quality in stories — the underdog who holds out against impossible odds.

Hold out: surviving the pressure and refusing to give up — the English verb of endurance.

14. Hold Out [2] | 伸出（手）；提供

“Hold out” can also mean to extend your hand or offer something to someone. This is the literal, physical meaning that leads to the figurative uses — you hold something out toward another person.

• “"Cô ấy held out her hand for the ticket.” （她伸出手要拿票。）
• “The deal holds out the promise of significant financial returns.” （這筆交易提供了可觀財務回報的前景。）
• “Don’t hold out false hope — tell them the honest prognosis.” （不要給人假希望——告訴他們誠實的預後。）

The phrase “hold out hope” is very commonly used in English journalism and personal conversation alike. “We’re holding out hope that the surgery goes well” means you’re still hoping, despite uncertainty — you haven’t given up yet.

15. Hold Out For | 堅持要求、等待更好的

“Hold out for” means to refuse to settle for less than what you want — to wait and insist on a specific condition before agreeing. It’s used in negotiations, salary discussions, and relationship advice.

• “"Cô ấy held out for a higher salary and eventually got it.” （她堅持要求更高的薪水，最終如願以償。）
• “Don’t settle for the first offer. Hold out for a better deal.” （不要接受第一個報價。堅持等待更好的交易。）
• “He’s been single for years — holding out for someone who shares his values.” （他多年來一直單身——等待一個與他價值觀相同的人。）

This phrase appears constantly in negotiation advice and relationship content. It suggests that patience and standards are worth maintaining — that accepting less than you deserve isn’t required.

16. Hold Together | 維持團結、不散開

“Hold together” means to remain unified or intact — for people, plans, objects, or stories. The subject is actively maintaining coherence against forces that would pull it apart.

• “The family held together through the crisis better than anyone expected.” （這個家庭在危機中比任何人預期的都更加團結。）
• “The argument in his essay doesn’t quite hold together — the logic breaks down in section three.” （他論文中的論點不太站得住腳——第三節的邏輯出了問題。）
• “She’s the one who holds this team together — without her, everyone would be going in different directions.” （她是讓這個團隊保持凝聚力的人——沒有她，每個人都會各走各的方向。）

Being described as “the person who holds the team together” is a genuine professional compliment in English — it means you’re the source of cohesion and stability when things get stressful.

Hold together: the team that survives difficulty isn’t lucky — it held together because someone made it.

17. Hold Against | 記恨、怪罪

“Hold something against someone” means to blame or resent them for something they did — to let a past action affect your current feelings or decisions toward them.

• “I don’t hold it against her — she was under enormous pressure at the time.” （我不怪她——她當時承受著巨大的壓力。）
• “Will you hold this against me if I say no?” （如果我拒絕，你會記恨我嗎？）
• “He held it against his manager for years that he wasn’t promoted.” （多年來，他一直因為沒有被晉升而怪罪他的上司。）

The phrase “I don’t hold it against you” is a forgiveness statement — it’s saying: yes, you did something wrong, but I choose not to let it define how I treat you. It’s more precise than simply “I forgive you” because it names the choice explicitly.

18. Hold In | 忍住情緒、壓抑感受

“Hold in” means to suppress an emotion or reaction — to prevent it from showing. The emotion wants to come out; the person is actively preventing it.

• “He was holding in his laughter during the serious meeting.” （在嚴肅的會議上，他強忍著笑意。）
• “Stop holding it in — if you’re sad, it’s okay to cry.” （別再憋著了——如果你難過，可以哭出來。）
• “She’d been holding in her frustration for months before finally speaking up.” （在最終開口說話之前，她已經壓抑著自己的挫折感好幾個月了。）

English-speaking cultures increasingly frame holding in emotions as unhealthy. The advice “stop holding it in” assumes that expressing emotion is better than suppressing it — worth knowing when discussing personal topics with native speakers.

19. Hold Over | 延長；挾制

“Hold over” has two main meanings. First, it means to extend something past its scheduled end — a movie that “holds over” keeps showing beyond its planned run. Second, “hold something over someone” means to use information as pressure or threat.

• “The film was so popular it was held over for another two weeks.” （這部電影非常受歡迎，又延長放映了兩個星期。）
• “He held the secret over his colleague for years, using it whenever he needed a favor.” （他多年來一直以那個秘密威脅同事，每當他需要幫忙時就拿出來用。）
• “The contract was held over from last year when the parties couldn’t agree on terms.” （由於雙方無法就條款達成一致，合約從去年延續了下來。）

The second meaning — using information to control someone — describes blackmail in everyday language. If you hear “he’s holding something over her,” the relationship is almost certainly coercive.

20. Hold Forth | 侃侃而談、長篇大論

“Hold forth” means to speak at length on a topic — usually more than the audience wants to hear. It carries a mildly critical tone: the person is talking a lot, possibly too much, and often without inviting conversation back.

• “He held forth on the topic of cryptocurrency for nearly an hour at dinner.” （他在晚餐時就加密貨幣話題侃侃而談了將近一個小時。）
• “The professor held forth on Victorian literature while students tried to stay awake.” （教授就維多利亞文學侃侃而談，而學生們則努力保持清醒。）
• “She can hold forth on any topic you throw at her — genuinely encyclopedic.” （她能就你提出的任何話題滔滔不絕——真的是百科全書式的知識。）

That last example is actually a compliment — it describes someone with impressive range of knowledge. The same phrase can be admiring or critical depending on tone. When someone “holds forth” in a conversation you’re part of, you might feel talked at rather than talked with.

Quick Reference 快速複習 | All 20 HOLD Phrasal Verbs

Here’s a summary of the 20 forms covered above — useful for review or as a reference when you encounter them in reading:

• Hold on — wait 等; persist 堅持
• Hold on to — keep, not release 保留
• Hold up [delay] — cause a delay 延誤
• Hold up [rob] — rob someone 搶劫
• Hold up [support] — physically support; survive scrutiny 撐住; 站得住腳
• Hold back [restrain] — stop someone from advancing 阻止
• Hold back [suppress] — hide your reaction or information 忍住; 隱瞞
• Hold down [job] — keep employment 維持工作
• Hold down [limit] — keep at a low level 壓低
• Hold off [delay] — postpone a decision 推遲
• Hold off [resist] — keep an opponent at bay 抵擋
• Hold out [endure] — last under pressure 撐下去
• Hold out [offer] — extend toward someone 伸出; 提供
• Hold out for — insist on something better 堅持要求
• Hold together — stay unified 維持團結
• Hold against — blame or resent 記恨; 怪罪
• Hold in — suppress an emotion 壓抑; 忍住
• Hold over [extend] — continue beyond schedule 延長
• Hold over [threaten] — use as pressure 挾制
• Hold forth — speak at length 侃侃而談

For more in this series, see Phrasal Verbs at Work — which focuses specifically on workplace situations where these forms (especially hold off, hold back, hold down) appear most often. For the grammar behind separable vs inseparable constructions, check the Phrasal Verb Word Order guide.

Nguồn

1. UsingEnglish.com — Phrasal Verbs with HOLD — Detailed reference listing 19 HOLD phrasal verb forms with definitions and example sentences.
2. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English — HOLD Phrasal Verb Exercise — Vocabulary exercise covering core HOLD phrasal verbs from the LDOCE database.
3. Rachel’s English — Phrasal Verbs with HOLD — American English pronunciation and usage guide for hold on, hold off, and related forms.