Antonyms for hold down

Grammar : Verb

Spell : hohld

Phonetic Transcription : hoʊld

Definition of hold down

Origin : Old English haldan (Anglian), healdan (West Saxon), "to contain, grasp; retain; foster, cherish," class VII strong verb (past tense heold, past participle healden), from Proto-Germanic *haldanan (cf. Old Saxon haldan, Old Frisian halda, Old Norse halda, Dutch houden, German halten "to hold," Gothic haldan "to tend"), originally "to keep, tend, watch over" (as cattle), later "to have." Ancestral sense is preserved in behold. The original past participle holden was replaced by held beginning 16c., but survives in some legal jargon and in beholden.
Hold back is 1530s, transitive; 1570s, intransitive; hold off is early 15c., transitive; c.1600, intransitive; hold out is 1520s as "to stretch forth," 1580s as "to resist pressure." Hold on is early 13c. as "to maintain one’s course," 1830 as "to keep one’s grip on something," 1846 as an order to wait or stop. To hold (one's) tongue "be silent" is from c.1300. To hold (one's) own is from early 14c. To hold (someone's) hand "give moral support" is from 1935. Phrase hold your horses "be patient" is from 1844. To have and to hold have been paired alliteratively since at least c.1200, originally of marriage but also of real estate.

As in inhibit : verb restrict, prevent
As in manage : verb be in charge, control
As in pin : verb attach, hold in place
As in quiet : verb make silent, calm
As in restrict : verb confine, limit situation or ability to participate
As in stifle : verb prevent, restrain
As in suppress : verb restrain, hold in check
As in weigh down : verb depress
As in withhold : verb keep back
As in hold back : verb repress
As in bottle up : verb hold in check
As in check : verb hinder, restrain
As in constrain : verb force; restrain
As in curb : verb repress, restrict
As in grind : verb oppress
As in hold back/hold off : verb repress

Example sentences :

Some called on the Colonel to hold down the cap lower, so that Bob could reach it.
Extract from : « Rollo on the Atlantic » by Jacob Abbott

He matched their acceleration to hold down the relative speeds.
Extract from : « Tulan » by Carroll Mather Capps

That's all right; but there are enemies you have to hold down.
Extract from : « Frank Merriwell's Races » by Burt L. Standish

They pull me off, and I hold down my head and fold my arms, just like friar do.
Extract from : « Mr. Midshipman Easy » by Captain Frederick Marryat

Hold down your heads, girls: if it's anybody that knows us, we're lost.
Extract from : « Tales of the Argonauts » by Bret Harte

Any girl who disapproves of this, will she hold down her hand?
Extract from : « The School Queens » by L. T. Meade

In a little While she learned to count Money, and could hold down the Job.
Extract from : « Fables in Slang » by George Ade

France will hold down Germany, who just now claims to be our friend also.
Extract from : « Through Scandinavia to Moscow » by William Seymour Edwards

He had a thousand plans by which the Prince was to overcome and hold down Slavna.
Extract from : « Sophy of Kravonia » by Anthony Hope

This will hold down friction and save the company's good money.
Extract from : « Letters from an Old Railway Official » by Charles DeLano Hine

Synonyms for hold down

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019