hold out

What does "hold out" mean?

1. To resist or survive in a difficult situation
2. To extend something towards someone
3. To refuse to give in during negotiations
4. To last or continue to be sufficient

Examples

• The rebels held out against the army for months.
• She held out her hand for me to shake.
• The workers are holding out for higher wages.
• Our supplies should hold out for another week.
• I don't know how long I can hold out without sleep.

How to use it

'Hold out for' means to refuse to accept less than what you want. 'Hold out hope' means to continue hoping despite difficulties. Common in negotiations and endurance contexts.

Word order

For extending: separable ('hold your hand out'). For resisting/lasting: intransitive.

Similar expressions

Opposites

Related phrasal verbs

• hold on

  To wait for a short time

• hold up

  To delay or slow down something

• hold back

  To prevent someone or something from advancing

• hold off

  To delay doing something

• hold down

  To keep something at a low level

• hold together

  To remain in one piece without breaking