holdbacks

Noun

holdback (countable and uncountable, plural holdbacks)

1. A restraint; a device or part of a device that operates to restrain.
   • In a furnace, the combination of an upwardly moving holdback and a downwardly moving dumping grate, of interconnected means for conjointly elevating said holdback and partially lowering said grate and then oscillating said grate without appreciably moving said holdback.1914, Frank L. O. Wadsworth, “1103232: Furnace Grate”, in Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, page 399
   1. The projection or loop, on the thill of a vehicle, to which a strap of the harness is attached, to hold back a carriage when going downhill, or in backing. Also, the strap or part of the harness so used.
      • All those devices, which heretofore have been constructed, wherein a spring has been applied as part of the holdback, are subject to derangement, owing to the uncertain action of the spring employed, and a liability of the sprint to get out of order, thus detracting from their efficiency.1861, John Davis, “No. 2551: Holdback for Carriages and other Vehicles”, in Letters patent - Volume 15
2. A delay in the movement of solute due to the slowing effects of diffusion
   • Holdback is easier to determine than the dispersion coefficient, and where scatter of data is serious, mixing properties are easier to describe in terms of holdback.1969, Harry D. Surline, Longitudinal Liquid Mixing in a Packed Column with Cocurrent Or Countercurrent Air-water Flow, page 50
3. Income that is set aside for eventualities such as customer returns, seasonal fluctuations, performance bonuses, unexpected costs, etc.
   • The community Opportunity Bonus Fund incorporates a $250 million bonus pool, which would operate in the same manner as the original performance holdback.1995, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies, Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, And Independen...
4. A portion of the money that is owed to someone which is not paid, but instead held as security, until the entire job or contract has been successfully completed.
   • Holdback arrangements may be viewed as the reverse of kickbacks. There were nine retailers who reported a holdback requirement by finance companies.1968, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the District of Columbia, Hearings, Reports and Prints of the Senate Committee on the District of Columbia
5. Money that a buyer does not pay at the time of purchase, but which is paid afterward (sometimes in installments, sometimes on a specified date).
   • Accordingly, credit enhancement was provided by a 7.5 percent "holdback" whereby the purchasers withheld 7.5 percent of the purchase price at the closing.1991, James A. Rosenthal, Juan M. Ocampo, Securitization of Credit: Inside the New Technology of Finance

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