hold it

expression command

The phrase "hold it" is often used as a command in various contexts, commonly to ask someone to pause, wait, or restrain themselves.

🇺🇸 US Voice:

🇬🇧 UK Voice:

Definition

B1General

(informal, imperative)A command to pause or stop an action temporarily.

Example

Hold it! I need to check something first.
Hold it right there! Where do you think you're going?

B2Physical Restraint

(informal)To wait to urinate or defecate despite the urgency.

Example

Can you hold it until we find a restroom?
I don't think I can hold it much longer.

B2Idiomatic

(informal, idiomatic)To maintain control or composure.

Example

You need to hold it together during the meeting.
Despite the chaos, she managed to hold it.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "hold it":

hold it in hold with hold it down hold to hold in hold onto hold down hold the phone hold on hold tight hold over hold up hold the ring hang tight hold together hold one's piss hold onto your hat hold my beer on hold hold one's pee take hold hang on hold time hold off hold back lay hold of hold out hold the stage hold the fort hold one's water hold fire hold one's breath hold one's jaw wait up have it holding pattern hold good holding time wait on hold one's fire stand still