holding up

Verb

hold up (third-person singular simple present holds up, present participle holding up, simple past and past participle held up)

1. (informal, intransitive) To wait or delay.
   • Hold up a minute. I want to check something.

   Synonyms:

   hold on, hang on

2. (transitive) To impede; detain.
   • I've got to get to work now. Why are you holding me up?
   1. (idiomatic, transitive) To detain by threatening, usually with a weapon, in order to commit robbery.
      • The guy tried to hold up a bank.
3. (transitive) To support or lift.
   • Hold up the table while I slide this underneath.
   1. (figuratively, transitive) To highlight, as if lifting up for display.
      • His lectures held up Napoleon as an example of the phenomenon.
   2. (idiomatic, transitive) To fulfil or complete one's part of an agreement.
      • I don't think he's holding up his end of the bargain.

See all 10 meanings of hold up