hold on
1. To physically grip something. Hold onto the railing so that you don't lose your balance. Hold on tight—I don't want to drop you! The subway car was packed, so I had to stand and hold onto one of the subway straps for balance.
2. To wait or pause. Often used as an imperative. Hey, hold on—that's not what I'm saying at all. If you'll just hold on a minute, I'll pull up your file. Whoa, hold on, there's no need to get angry. Can't we just have a civil conversation about this?
3. To continue or persist despite challenges. The company will not be able to hold on if we lose money again this quarter. Even though her first sequence on the balance beam was shaky, she held on and performed the rest of her routine flawlessly. How am I supposed to hold on without my husband? We were supposed to grow old together.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
Hold on (a minute)!
and Hold on for a minute!Stop right there!; Wait a minute! (Minute can be replaced by moment, second, or other time periods.) Bob: Hold on, Tom. Tom: What? Bob: I want to talk to you. "Hold on!" hollered Tom. "You're running off with my shopping cart!"
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.