Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Hold, vb. (impf. and partic. held. Part. “holden:” H6B II, 4, 71. “hild:” Lucr. 1257), 1) trans. a) to have or grasp in the hand: “--s her pulses hard,” Ven. 476. “--ing a trencher,” LLL V, 2, 477. “your lion that --s his pollaxe,” LLL V, 2, 477 “to h. the plough,” LLL V, 2, 477 “must I h. a candle?” Merch. II, 6, 41. “I h. the olive in my hand,” Tw. I, 5, 225. “--s his wife by the arm,” Wint. I, 2, 193. of him it (my hand) “--s,” John II, 238. “h. a serpent by the tongue,” III, 1, 258. “he held a pouncetbox,” H4A I, 3, 37. “h. him sure,” H4B II, 1, 27. “h. hook and line,” II, 4, 171 (i. e. become an angler in Tartarus? Pistol's speech. cf. Lr. III, 5, 7). “h. the sceptre in his fist,” H6B I, 1, 245. “he --s vengeance in his hands,” R3 I, 4, 204. “held with a brace of harlots,” Tim. IV, 3, 79. “he held me hard,” Hml. II, 1, 87 etc.
b) to support with the hand: “help, h. his brows,” LLL V, 2, 392. “h. their hips and laugh,” Mids. II, 1, 55. “as if you held a brow of much distraction,” Wint. I, 2, 149. “I held your head,” John IV, 1, 45. “held my stirrup,” H6B IV, 1, 53. “I held the sword,” Caes. V, 5, 65 etc. to h. up == 1) to uphold, to support, to preserve: “your shallowest help will h. me up afloat,” Sonn. 80, 9. “he that had held up the very life of my friend,” Merch. V, 214 (Q1 did uphold). “us that here h. up his right,” John II, 364. “that seemed in eating him to h. him up,” R2 III, 4, 51. “to h. our safety up,” H4B IV, 2, 35. “my puissance --s it up,” H6B IV, 2, 173. “the proudest he that --s up Lancaster,” H6C I, 1, 46. 2) to bear, to carry: “no supporter but the huge firm earth can h. it up,” John III, 1, 73. “here is a hand to h. a sceptre up,” H6B V, 1, 102. 3) to carry through, to follow up, to continue: “h. up the jest no higher,” Wiv. V, 5, 109. “h. it up,” Ado II, 3, 126 (play your parts to the end). “h. the sweet jest up,” Mids. III, 2, 239 (cf. Meas. III, 1, 273). “heir from heir shall h. this quarrel up,” H4B IV, 2, 48. “they h. up Adam's profession,” Hml. V, 1, 34. 4) to encourage: “nor h. him up with hopes,” Tw. I, 5, 323. 5) to show: “what colour for my visitation shall I h. up before him?” Wint. IV, 4, 567. “to h. the mirror up to nature,” Hml. III, 2, 24. 6) to show off, to make much of: “whose estimation do you mightily h. up,” Ado II, 2, 25. “they would h. up this Salique law,” H5 I, 2, 91. “h. up high in brass,” Troil. I, 3, 64. to h. out in the 3d sign. of h. up: “well said, brazen face; h. it out,” Wiv. IV, 2, 141 (play your part to the end).
c) to bear or manage in a certain manner: “let him h. his fingers thus,” Mids. III, 1, 72. “how he --s his countenance,” H4A II, 4, 432. “h. hard the breath,” H5 III, 1, 16. “h. close thy lips,” H6C II, 2, 118. “--ing thine ear close to the ground,” Rom. V, 3, 4. “h. thee to my heart,” Mcb. I, 4, 32. “a city on whom plenty held full hand,” Per. I, 4, 22. With off: “h. off your hands,” Hml. I, 4, 80. V, 1, 286. “h. off the earth awhile, till I have caught her once more in mine arms,” V, 1, 272. “I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes,” Ant. II, 7, 63. With out: “I will wink and h. out mine iron,” H5 II, 1, 8. “--ing out gold,” Per. II, 2, 37. With up: “h. up thy head,” Ven. 118. Wiv. I, 4, 30. IV, 1, 17. V, 1, 8. H4A V, 4, 39. H4B I, 3, 17. Caes. V, 4, 1 (cf. Head). “pure hands held up,” Gent. III, 1, 229. Meas. V, 443. Mids. III, 2, 143. Wint. V, 2, 51. H5 IV, 1, 316. H6B III, 3, 28. Cor. V, 3, 175. Tit. III, 1, 75. Caes. I, 3, 16. “how she --s up the neb, the bill to him,” Wint. I, 2, 183. “canst thou h. up thy heavy eyes awhile” Caes. IV, 3, 256.
d) not to let loose, to bind, to attach: “a weak bond --s you,” Mids. III, 2, 268. “what hoop should h. us stanch,” Ant. II, 2, 117. With to: “h. you ever to our special drift,” Meas. IV, 5, 4. “whoever charges on his forward breast, I am the caitiff that do h. him to't,” All's III, 2, 117. “do not h. me to mine oath,” Troil. V, 2, 26. “his promise, which you might have held him to,” Cor. II, 3, 202.
e) to keep fast, to restrain from motion, to stop, to detain: “sad talk, wherewith my brother held you in the cloister,” Gent. I, 3, 2. “I have held him here too long,” Err. IV, 1, 47. “what secret hath held you here?” Ado I, 1, 206. “now she --s me not,” Mids. III, 2, 335. “here's none will h. you,” Shr. I, 1, 107. “Fabian can scarce h. him yonder,” Tw. III, 4, 310. “--ing the eternal spirit in the vile prison,” John III, 4, 18. “we cannot h. mortality's strong hand,” IV, 2, 82. “the winds that held the king so long in his unlucky Irish wars,” H4A V, 1, 52. “what rein can h. licentious wickedness?” H5 III, 3, 22. “wherefore do you h. me here so long?” Caes. I, 2, 83. “I will not h. thee long,” IV, 3, 265. “fate held his hand,” Wiv. III, 5, 106. “persuade him to h. his hands,” Err. IV, 4, 23. h. your hand or hands == do not strike: Err. I, 2, 93. All's IV, 3, 215. H6A III, 1, 87. Lr. III, 7, 72. IV, 6, 164. Oth. I, 2, 81. II, 3, 154 etc. h. my tongue (== am silent): Sonn. 102, 13. Err. IV, 4, 22. As II, 5, 30. John IV, 1, 97. H6A III, 1, 61. V, 3, 42. Mcb. II, 3, 125 etc. With from, == to keep back from: “we for the worthiest h. the right from both,” John II, 282. “my cloud of dignity is held from falling,” H4B IV, 5, 100. “your crown and kingdom indirectly held from him,” H5 II, 4, 94. “hath held my eyes from rest,” R3 IV, 1, 82 (Qq kept). “may h. him from the Capitol,” Caes. II, 1, 201. “from whom this tyrant --s the due of right,” Mcb. III, 6, 25. cf. “that --s thee hence,” All's III, 2, 126. With “back:” Lucr. 1789. Sonn. 65, 11. H4B II, 3, 66. With “off:” R3 IV, 5, 5 (Qq witholds). Oth. III, 3, 248. With out: “h. out water in foul way,” H4A II, 1, 93. “stony limits cannot h. love out,” Rom. II, 2, 67. “mine eyes cannot h. out water,” Tim. I, 2, 111. With in, == not to speak of: Lr. V, 3, 202.
Hence == to retard, to make lose time, to cause to linger: “he held me last night nine hours in reckoning up,” H4A III, 1, 156. “h. me not with silence overlong,” H6A V, 3, 13. “he'll wrest the sense and h. us here all day,” H6B III, 1, 186. “any cruelty that can torment him much and h. him long,” Oth. V, 2, 334.
f) to contain: “my body is the frame wherein 'tis held,” Sonn. 24, 3. “that poor retention could not so much h.” 122, 9. “more devils than vast hell can h.” Mids. V, 9. “no woman's heart so big, to h. so much,” Tw. II, 4, 99. “more than my pack will h.” Wint. IV, 4, 289. “can this cockpit h. the fields of France,” Wint. IV, 4, 289. “let me have such a bowl may h. my thanks,” H8 I, 4, 39. “as big as hell can h.” Cymb. II, 4, 140.
g) to retain, to preserve, to continue: “nor his own vision --s what it doth catch,” Sonn. 113, 8. “our garments h. their freshness,” Tp. II, 1, 62. “I'll h. my mind,” Gent. V, 4, 38. “must of necessity h. his virtue to you,” All's I, 1, 9. “you must h. the credit of your father,” All's I, 1, 9 “thy affection cannot h. the bent,” Tw. II, 4, 38. “should h. their places,” H4B V, 2, 17. “sword, h. thy temper,” H6B V, 2, 70. “if you mind to h. your true obedience,” H6C IV, 1, 140. “God h. it,” R3 III, 2, 107 (God grant that it may be so for ever). “nothing else --s fashion,” Troil. V, 2, 196. “fame cannot better be held nor more attained than by a place below the first,” Cor. I, 1, 269. “h. that purpose,” II, 1, 256. “if you do h. the same intent,” V, 6, 13. “there's but one in all doth h. his place,” Caes. III, 1, 65. “do they h. the same estimation,” Hml. II, 2, 348. “nature her custom --s,” IV, 7, 188. “h. his purpose,” V, 2, 183. “what ribs of oak can h. the mortise,” Oth. II, 1, 9. “to h. you in perpetual amity,” Ant. II, 2, 127. “cannot h. this visible shape,” IV, 14, 14. “she --s her virtue still, and I my mind,” Cymb. I, 4, 69. Cymb. I, 4, 69
h) to maintain: “--s his rank before,” Sonn. 85, 12. “I held my city,” Compl. 176. do not curst wives h. that “self sovereignty only for praise sake,” LLL IV, 1, 36. “he --s his place,” H4B II, 2, 116. “he held the right,” H6A II, 4, 38. “h. thy whore,” Troil. V, 4, 25. “h. our best advantage,” Ant. IV, 11, 4. “to h. thine own,” H6C II, 2, 42 (to maintain what is thine). “h. your own,” Shr. IV, 4, 6 (play your part well; German: haltet euch gut). “does she h. her own well?” H4B III, 2, 218. “Ajax, h. thine own,” Troil. IV, 5, 114.
i) to occupy: “that blood . . . three foot of it doth h.” John IV, 2, 100. “Bristol castle which is held by Bushy,” R2 II, 3, 164. “go thou to the city; learn how 'tis held,” Cor. I, 10, 28.
k) to keep, to guard, to restrain: “his mistress did h. his eyes locked in her crystal looks,” Gent. II, 4, 89. she --s them prisoners still, 92; cf. Troil. II, 2, 77; Tit. II, 1, 15. “she --eth thee in awe,” H6A I, 1, 39. “whilst I at a banquet h. him sure,” Tit. V, 2, 76. “h. him in safety till the prince come hither,” Rom. V, 3, 183. “he held you so under fortune,” Mcb. III, 1, 77. “he may h. our lives in mercy,” Lr. I, 4, 350. “our nineteen legions thou shalt h. by land,” Ant. III, 7, 59. “h. death awhile at the arm's end,” As II, 6, 10. “your deer does h. you at a bay,” Shr. V, 2, 56. “he --s Belzebub at the staves' end,” Tw. V, 291. “I saw him h. lord Percy at the point,” H4A V, 4, 21.
l) to keep, to observe, to follow, to pursue: “all askance he --s her in his eye,” Ven. 342. --ing their course to Paphos, 1193; cf. Wint. IV, 4, 513; R2 V, 3, 63. H5 III Chor. 17; III, 3, 23; H6C V, 3, 19; Hml. IV, 6, 29; Ant. III, 6, 85. “these contraries such unity do h.” Lucr. 1558. when you h. your peace (== are silent) Gent. V, 2, 18; Wiv. IV, 1, 75; Meas. V, 79; Tw. II, 3, 68. Tw. II, 3, 68 74; Wint. I, 2, 28; H6A III, 2, 58; H6B I, 3, 179. “where there was no proportion held in love,” Wiv. V, 5, 235. “you yet shall h. your word,” Wiv. V, 5, 235 “h. your vow,” LLL V, 2, 345. “one man --ing troth,” Mids. III, 2, 92. “h. little faith,” Tw. V, 174. “h. their promises,” H5 II Chor. H5 II Chor. “to h. the handfast to her lord,” Cymb. I, 5, 77. “I will h. a long distance,” All's III, 2, 27. “and h. me pace in deep experiments,” H4A III, 1, 49. “to h. your honour more precise and nice with others than with him,” H4B II, 3, 40. “to h. what distance his wisdom can provide,” Mcb. III, 6, 44. “I h. my duty, as I h. my soul, both to my God and to my king,” Hml. II, 2, 44. “you do not h. the method to enforce the like from him,” Ant. I, 3, 7. “the loyalty well held to fools,” III, 13, 42.
m) to keep, to entertain, to harbour; properly and figuratively: “the dispersed air, who, --ing Lucrece' life, answered their cries,” Lucr. 1805. “Verona shall not h. thee,” Gent. V, 4, 129. “this field shall h. me,” LLL V, 2, 345. “if thou didst ever h. me in thy heart,” Hml. V, 2, 357. “I do now let loose my opinion, h. it no longer,” Tp. II, 2, 36; cf. Ado II, 3, 224; Merch. IV, 1, 131; Tw. IV, 2, 62; Caes I, 2, 323; II, 1, 196. “the good conceit I h. of thee,” Gent. III, 2, 17. “the errors that these princes h.” Ado IV, 1, 165. “you h. too heinous a respect of grief,” John III, 4, 90. “--s belief,” V, 7, 6. “--ing a weak supposal of our worth,” Hml. I, 2, 18.
n) to keep, to entertain, to maintain, to carry on, to practise: “thus --s he disputation 'tween conscience and will,” Lucr. 246. “how with this rage shall beauty h. a plea,” Sonn. 65, 3. “for the peace of you I h. such strife,” 75, 3. “'gainst whom the world could not h. argument,” Pilgr. 30; cf. Ado II, 3, 55; H6A II, 4, 57. “h. three words' conference with this harpy,” Ado II, 1, 278. “let's h. more chat,” LLL V, 2, 228. “the difference that --s this present question in the court,” Merch. IV, 1, 172. “I hold as little counsel with weak fear,” H4A IV, 3, 11. “in the conflict that it --s with death,” H6B III, 2, 164. “--s such swoln and hot discourse,” Troil. II, 3, 183. “I would h. more talk with thee,” Caes. IV, 3, 289. “no longer session h. upon my shame,” Meas. V, 376. “our council we will h. at Windsor,” H4A I, 1, 104. “his majesty's parliament, holden at Bury,” H6B II, 4, 71. “--s her parliament,” H6C I, 1, 35. “h. divided councils,” R3 III, 1, 179. III, 2, 12 (Ff kept). “who --s his state at door,” H8 V, 2, 24. “we'll h. a feast,” Mids. IV, 1, 190. “a fortnight h. we this solemnity,” V, 376; H8 IV, 1, 94; Rom. I, 2, 20. “triumphs held at Oxford,” R2 V, 3, 14. “you h. a fair assembly,” H8 I, 4, 87. “we h. a solemn supper,” Mcb. III, 1. Mcb. III, 1 I had thought to have held it (my birthday) “poor,” Ant. III, 13, 186. “h. fair friendship with his majesty,” LLL II, 141. “if with myself I h. intelligence,” As I, 3, 49. “to h. my acquaintance with thee,” All's II, 3, 240; Tw. I, 2, 16. “I have held familiarity with fresher clothes,” All's V, 2, 3. “all the fellowship I h. now with him,” H8 III, 1, 121. “h. enmity,” Hml. I, 5, 65. “amity,” Lr. II, 4, 245. “Daphne --s the chase,” Mids. II, 1, 231.
o) to possess; 1) to have power over, to rule: “the affliction of my mind amends, with which, I fear, a madness held me,” Tp. V, 116. “how long hath this possession held the man?” Err. V, 44. “my holy humour was wont to h. me but while one would tell twenty,” R3 I, 4, 121. 2) to own, to keep as a property; abs.: “she is not worth what she doth cost the --ing,” Troil. II, 2, 52 (Q keeping). trans.: “to h. their fortune long,” Lucr. 866. “how do I h. thee but by thy granting?” Sonn. 87, 5. “who in thy power dost h. time's fickle glass,” 126, 2. “Falstaff his gold will h.” Wiv. I, 3, 107. “h. a goodly manor for a song,” All's III, 2, 9 (M. Edd. sold). “with her whom here I cannot h. on shore,” Wint. IV, 4, 510. “he that --s his kingdom --s the law,” John III, 1, 188. “for him and in his right we h. this town,” II, 268. “if what in rest you have, in right you h.” IV, 2, 55. “I have and I will h. the quondam Quickly,” H5 II, 1, 82. which (crown) “they h. by force and not by right,” H6B II, 2, 30. “--ing Corioli in the name of Rome,” Cor. I, 6, 37. “by the power we h.” Cymb. III, 1, 58. With of; trans.: “he loves you well that --s his life of you,” Per. II, 2, 22. absol.: “men shall h. of me in capite,” H6B IV, 7, 131 (shall be my crown-vassals, by a tenure in capite).
p) to receive, to take: “we h. rumour from what we fear, yet know not what we fear,” Mcb. IV, 2, 19 (we are frightened by uncertain rumours engendered by uncertain fears). Chiefly used in the imper.: “there, h.” Gent. IV, 4, 132. “h., bear you these letters,” Wiv. I, 3, 88. “h., there's money for thee,” I, 4, 166. “h. therefore, Angelo,” Meas. I, 1, 43. Err. II, 2, 23. LLL V, 1, 75. V, 2, 130. Merch. II, 4, 20. Tw. III, 1, 49. III, 3, 38. III, 4, 381. R2 II, 2, 92. H4B III, 2, 291. H4B III, 2, 291 R3 III, 2, 108 (Ff there, drink that for me). Tit. IV, 3, 105. Rom. IV, 1, 122. IV, 4, 1. V, 1, 59. Caes. I, 3, 117. Mcb. II, 1, 4. The pers. pronoun following (always thee for thou): “h. thee that to drink,” Shr. IV, 4, 17. “h. thee, there's my purse,” All's IV, 5, 46. “h. thee, there's some boot,” Wint. IV, 4, 651. “h. thee, take this garland on thy brow,” Caes. V, 3, 85. “h. you, there is a groat,” H5 V, 1, 61. == hear, listen: “h., daughter,” Rom. IV, 1, 68. Rom. IV, 1, 68
q) to have; in various turns of expression: things “base and vile, --ing no quantity,” Mids. I, 1, 232. “to h. a rival place with one of them,” Merch. I, 1, 174. “we should h. day with the Antipodes,” V, 127. “if truth --s true contents,” As V, 4, 136. “my course, which --s no colour with the time,” All's II, 5, 64. “the father should h. some counsel in such a business,” Wint. IV, 4, 420. “why --s thine eye that lamentable rheum,” John III, 1, 22. “and h. their level with thy princely heart,” H4A III, 2, 17. “h. a wing quite from the flight of all thy ancestors,” H4A III, 2, 17 “--s from all soldiers chief majority and military title capital,” H4A III, 2, 17 “such powers as might h. sortance with his quality,” H4B IV, 1, 11. when they h. them (fits of the face) H8 I, 3, 8. “h. you the watch tonight?” Hml. I, 2, 225. “wherein the spirit held his wont to walk,” I, 4, 6. “while memory --s a seat in this distracted globe,” I, 5, 96. “no contraries h. more antipathy,” Lr. II, 2, 93. “the trust, the office I do h. of you,” Oth. I, 3, 118. “your royalty --s idleness your subject,” Ant. I, 3, 92.
Periphrastical use: to h. in chase == to chase: Lucr. 1736. Sonn. 143, 5. John I, 223. Cor. I, 6, 19. “this ring he --s in most rich choice,” All's III, 7, 25. “held in contempt,” R3 I, 3, 80. “who of my people h. him in delay?” Tw. I, 5, 112. “he held such petty bondage in disdain,” Ven. 394. Ven. 394 H5 I, 2, 48. “h. in hate,” Gent. III, 2, 33. “thou didst h. him in thy hate,” Oth. I, 1, 7. “in what hatred he hath held them,” Cor. II, 1, 262. “that beauty which you h. in lease,” Sonn. 13, 5. “held in idle price to haunt assemblies,” Meas. I, 3, 9. “death doth h. us in pursuit,” H6C II, 5, 127. “h. me no more in your respect,” All's III, 6, 4. “he --s your temper in a high respect,” H4A III, 1, 170. -- With participles or adjectives: “we cite our faults, that they may h. excused our lawless lives,” Gent. IV, 1, 54 (that they may excuse). “if you make a care of happy --ing her,” Wint. IV, 4, 367 (== of seeing her happy). “my father's eyes should h. her loathed,” Oth. III, 4, 62 (== loathe her). cf. “this her easy-held imprisonment,” H6A V, 3, 139. Oftenest reflectively (the pers. pron. serving as refl.): “my tongue-tied Muse in manners --s her still,” Sonn. 85, 1 (is silent). “h. you still,” Err. III, 2, 69. “I will not h. me still,” IV, 2, 17. Troil. V, 3, 25. Mcb. III, 2, 54. “I held me glad of such a doom,” Gent. IV, 1, 32 (== I was glad). “h. you content,” Ado V, 1, 92. “I can no longer h. me patient,” R3 I, 3, 157.
r) to think, to judge, to consider; with an inf.: “held the duke to be wise,” Meas. III, 2, 145. “has a deal of that too much which --s him much to have,” All's III, 2, 93 (i. e. of vanity, which persuades him to have many good qualities). With a depending clause: “it is held that valour is the chiefest virtue,” Cor. II, 2, 87. “I h. it ever, virtue and cunning were endowments greater,” Per. III, 2, 26; cf. Wiv. I, 1, 236 (Evans' speech). With a double accus.: “lest he should h. it her own gross abuse,” Lucr. 1315. Sonn. 136, 11. 151, 13. Gent. II, 6, 29. V, 4, 133. Ado II, 1, 67. LLL IV, 3, 177. Mids. I, 1, 55. All's I, 3, 123. Wint. IV, 4, 697. John III, 4, 161. H4A I, 3, 90. H4B I, 1, 95. H6C IV, 2, 7. R3 I, 3, 50. II, 1, 55. IV, 4, 493. H8 I, 3, 47. II, 2, 124. II, 4, 83. Troil. II, 3, 199. Cor. V, 3, 81. Tit. I, 245. Caes. I, 2, 78. V, 1, 77. Cymb. IV, 3, 16. “of small worth held,” Sonn. 2, 4. With as: “I h. you as a thing enskyed and sainted,” Meas. I, 4, 34. “we will h. it as a dream,” Ado I, 2, 21. “I h. the world but as the world,” Merch. I, 1, 77. “to urge the thing held as a ceremony,” V, 206. “as a stranger to my heart h. thee,” Lr. I, 1, 118. “my life I never held but as a pawn,” Lr. I, 1, 118 “we are held as outlaws,” Cymb. IV, 2, 67. With for: “h. it for no sin,” Lucr. 209. “for nothing h. me,” Sonn. 136, 11. “h. your fortune for your bliss,” Merch. III, 2, 137. “held for certain,” H8 II, 1, 155. “an idiot --s his bauble for a God,” Tit. V, 1, 79.
s) to estimate: “if you h. your life at any price,” Tw. III, 4, 252. “held at such a rate,” H6C II, 2, 51. “if my love thou --est at aught,” Hml. IV, 3, 60. With adverbs: “h. their manhoods cheap,” H5 IV, 3, 66; cf. “I h. your dainties cheap and your welcome dear,” Err. III, 1, 21. “h. dear:” LLL IV, 3, 276. V, 2, 444. H6B IV, 1, 147. R3 I, 4, 239. III, 2, 80. H8 V, 3, 174. Troil. III, 3, 19. “held thee dearly,” H6C II, 1, 102. Tit. V, 1, 36. “we held him carelessly,” Rom. III, 4, 25 (treated him with indifference and neglect). “the parts . . . I h. as giddily as fortune,” Tw. II, 4, 87 (I regard as carelessly). “--s his honour higher than his ease,” Troil. I, 3, 266. “men very nobly held,” All's IV, 3, 341 (highly respected). “I h. thee reverently,” H6C II, 2, 109. “he --s you well,” Ado III, 2, 101 (has a good opinion of you); cf. Troil. II, 3, 190. IV, 1, 77. Oth. I, 3, 396.
t) to lay, to wager: “I'll h. thee any wager,” Merch. II, 4, 62. “I h. you a penny,” Shr. III, 2, 85. Hence perhaps the phrases: “she --s hand with any princess,” John II, 494 (is a match for). “I'll find a Marshalsea shall h. ye play these two months,” H8 V, 4, 90 (shall keep you under).
u) to bear, to continue to suffer: “as the ripest mulberry that will not h. the handling,” Cor. III, 2, 80. “would not h. taking,” Tim. I, 2, 159. “many corses that will scarce h. the laying in,” Hml. V, 1, 182. With out: “h. out this tempest,” John IV, 3, 156. “he cannot long h. out these pangs,” H4B IV, 4, 117. “nor strength to h. out flight,” H6C II, 6, 24.
2) intr. a) to keep or take a thing in one's grasp: “to make his anchor h.,” Wint. I, 2, 213 (== bite, get a good hold of the bottom). “his power, like to a fang-less lion, may offer, but not h.” H4B IV, 1, 219. “bankrupts, h. fast; rather than render back, out with your knives,” Tim. IV, 1, 8.
b) to refrain: “we shall be flouting; we cannot h.” As V, 1, 14. if they h., when their ladies bid 'em clap, H8 Epil. As V, 1, 14 Mostly in the imper., == do not strike, forbear: Err. II, 2, 24. V, 33. Tw. III, 4, 351. IV, 1, 30. IV, 1, 30 H6B II, 3, 96. V, 2, 14. H6C I, 4, 51. V, 5, 43. Cor. V, 6, 132. Rom. III, 1, 93. Mcb. I, 5, 55. V, 8, 34. Ant. V, 2, 39. “to bid you h.” Lr. III, 7, 75. With in: “such as can h. in, such as will strike sooner than speak, and speak sooner than drink,” H4A II, 1, 85 (a rather obscure passage, the common interpretation of which is: such as can keep counsel, will not blab; cf. Lr. V, 3, 202; but it may mean in general: such as know to keep within the bounds of decency).
c) to be firm, not to break: “iron may h. with her, but never lutes,” Shr. II, 147. if one (point) “break, the other will h.” Tw. I, 5, 26. “if the springe h., the cock is mine,” Wint. IV, 3, 36. “my heart hath one poor string to stay it by, which --s but till thy news be uttered,” John V, 7, 56. “if this sword h.” H6C V, 1, 75. “h., patience,” Troil. V, 2, 29. “h., h., my heart,” Hml. I, 5, 93. “this project should have a back or second, that might h., if this should blast in proof,” IV, 7, 154. “O sides, will you yet h.?” Lr. II, 4, 201. “can my sides h.?” Cymb. I, 6, 69. to h. together == not to fall in pieces: “as well as one so great and so forlorn may h. together,” Wint. II, 2, 23; cf. “hang together,” Wiv. III, 2, 13. “h. or cut bow-strings,” Mids. I, 2, 114 (probably == come what come may; a phrase not yet sufficiently explained. Usually interpreted as a cant expression of archers, == keep promise, or else cut your strings).
d) to hold good, to be valid, to prove true: “never faith could h., if not to beauty vowed,” Pilgr. 58 and LLL IV, 2, 110. “gourd and fullam --s,” Wiv. I, 3, 94. “if this law h. in Vienna ten year,” Meas. II, 1, 254. “the allusion --s in the exchange,” LLL IV, 2, 42. “that ever --s,” Merch. II, 6, 8. “the duke will never grant this forfeiture to h.” III, 3, 25. it (my privilege) “--s yet,” All's IV, 5, 98. “it --s current that I told you yesternight,” H4A II, 1, 59. “to h. in right and title of the female,” H5 I, 2, 89. “doth this news h. of good King Edward's death?” R3 II, 3, 7. “the saying did not h. in him,” II, 4, 16. “it held not,” H8 II, 1, 149. “vows to every purpose must not h.” Troil. V, 3, 24. “does the rumour h. for true?” Tim. V, 1, 4. “--s it true, that the Duke of Cornwall was so slain?” Lr. IV, 7, 85.
e) to be fit, to be consistent: “thou sayest well, and it --s well too,” H4A I, 2, 34; see above LLL IV, 2, 42. “this has no --ing, to swear by him whom I protest to love, that I will work against him,” All's IV, 2, 27.
f) to continue, to abide, not to change or fall off: “every thing --s in perfection but a little moment,” Sonn. 15, 2. “go, I'll h.” Wiv. V, 1, 1 (you may rely on me). “h. you there,” Meas. III, 1, 176 (i. e. continue in this mind; cf. “there rest,” II, 3, 36). “will this capriccio h. in thee?” All's II, 3, 310. “your resolution cannot h.” Wint. IV, 4, 36. “if this civil buffeting h.” H4A II, 4, 397. “it cannot h.” Tim. II, 1, 4 (it cannot go on thus). “will't h.?” III, 6, 70. “if your mind h.” Caes. I, 2, 295. “that unassailable --s on his rank, unshaked of motion,” III, 1, 69 (remains, stands firm). “if your pleasure h. to play with Laertes,” Hml. V, 2, 206. “if his last purpose h.” Lr. V, 1, 1. “dost thou h. there still?” Ant. II, 5, 92 (dost thou persist in saying so?). With out: if thou hast (impudence) “rely upon it till my tale be heard, and h. no longer out,” Meas. V, 371 (and play your part no longer). “can any face of brass h. longer out?” LLL V, 2, 395. “she would not h. out enemy for ever,” Merch. IV, 1, 447. “well held out,” Tw. IV, 1, 5 (a part well borne). With up: “it lies much in your --ing up,” Meas. III, 1, 273 (in your not getting out of your part).
g) to last: “will this h., think you?” Cymb. I, 4, 183. “h. those justs and triumphs?” R2 V, 2, 52.
h) to stand one's ground, not to yield, not to surrender: “the rest will serve for a short --ing,” Cor. I, 7, 4. “our force by land hath nobly held,” Ant. III, 13, 170. With out: “nothing there --s out but Dover castle,” John V, 1, 30. Hence == to bear, to have strength enough: “how shall summer's honey breath h. out against the wreckful siege of battering days?” Sonn. 65, 6. “h. out my horse, and I will first be there,” R2 II, 1, 300. “else ne'er could they h. out so,” H6A I, 2, 43. “hath he so long held out with me untired,” R3 IV, 2, 44. “the babe cannot h. out to Tyrus,” Per. III, 1, 80.
i) to h. friends == to keep friendship: Ado I, 1, 91.
k) With off, == to keep distant, to be reserved: “yet h. I off,” Troil. I, 2, 312. “I might have still held off,” IV, 2, 17. “if you love me, h. not off,” Hml. II, 2, 302.