Dictionary entry details
• HOLD BACK (verb)
Meaning:
Hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of
Classified under:
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities
Synonyms:
hold back; arrest; turn back; contain; stop; check
Context examples:
Arrest the downward trend / Check the growth of communism in South East Asia / Contain the rebel movement / Turn back the tide of communism
Hypernyms (to "hold back" is one way to...):
defend (be on the defensive; act against an attack)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hold back"):
cut down; cut out (intercept (a player))
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Keep under control; keep in check
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
restrain; keep back; hold back; suppress; keep
Context examples:
suppress a smile / Keep your temper / keep your cool
Hypernyms (to "hold back" is one way to...):
keep; prevent (prevent from doing something or being in a certain state)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hold back"):
check; contain; control; curb; hold; hold in; moderate (lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits)
bottle up; suppress (control and refrain from showing; of emotions)
quench (electronics: suppress (sparking) when the current is cut off in an inductive circuit, or suppress (an oscillation or discharge) in a component or device)
confine (prevent from leaving or from being removed)
hold (keep from exhaling or expelling)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Meaning:
Refrain from doing
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
forbear; hold back
Context example:
she forbore a snicker
Hypernyms (to "hold back" is one way to...):
forbear; refrain (resist doing something)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Meaning:
Wait before acting
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
hold off; wait; hold back
Context example:
the scientists held off announcing their results until they repeated the experiment
Hypernyms (to "hold back" is one way to...):
act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hold back"):
hold out (wait uncompromisingly for something desirable)
delay (act later than planned, scheduled, or required)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
Sentence example:
They hold back a long time
Meaning:
Secure and keep for possible future use or application
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
keep back; retain; hold back; hold
Context examples:
The landlord retained the security deposit / I reserve the right to disagree
Hypernyms (to "hold back" is one way to...):
hold on; keep (retain possession of)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hold back"):
hold down (keep)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sentence example:
They hold back the money
Meaning:
Hold back; keep from being perceived by others
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Synonyms:
conceal; hold in; hold back
Context example:
She conceals her anger well
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hold back"):
occult (hide from view)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
