hold (one's) fire
1. To cease or pause firing a firearm. Hold your fire, men—wait until they have crested the hill before attacking. Tell your men to hold fire! We surrender! Wait, hold your fire! I know this woman—she's not an intruder!
2. By extension, to stop attacking, harassing, or criticizing someone or something. He's asking his legions of fans to hold their fire in their online attacks against his accuser. Everyone, hold your fire and give the guy a chance to respond and explain himself! She's being harassed online, and there's no way to get all these trolls to hold their fire.
hold your fire
1. Stop shooting. Used as a command, especially for military troops. Hold your fire—there are civilians present! Hold your fire! They've thrown up the white flag! Hold your fire, men, and that's an order! Weapons down!
2. Don't speak, especially in a critical or angry manner. I know you're mad at the kids, but hold your fire until we get the whole story of what happened. OK, it's time to hold your fire before you say something you'll regret to the boss. You just couldn't hold your fire, could you? How could you say something that cruel to her?
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
hold one's fire
1. Lit. to refrain from shooting (a gun, etc.). The sergeant told the soldiers to hold their fire. Please hold your fire until I get out of the way.
2. Fig. to postpone one's criticism or commentary. Now, now, hold your fire until I've had a chance to explain. Hold your fire, Bill. You're too quick to complain.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
hold one's fire
Refrain from comment or criticism, especially for the time being. For example, Hold your fire, Jim, she's not finished yet, or Nancy decided to hold her fire until she had more information. This expression alludes to refraining from shooting a gun and originated in the military.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
hold your fire
or hold fire
1. If you hold your fire or hold fire, you wait and do not do anything for a while. We are holding fire on our assessment of the situation until a detailed analysis can be made.
2. If you hold your fire or hold fire, you delay attacking or criticizing someone. The administration will hold its fire until it sees the detail of the bill, but is likely then to oppose it. Note: These expressions are also used literally to talk about a situation where soldiers stop shooting, or wait before they start shooting.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
hold your ˈfire
1 delay or stop shooting for a while: Hold your fire! I think they’re going to surrender. OPPOSITE: open fire (on somebody/something)
2 stop attacking somebody: She told the journalists to hold their fire. If they didn’t listen to her, how would they know what she thought?Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017