hold back

phraseB22 meaningsNot compared — the two pools are counted one word at a time, so a phrase has no score

To hold back is to keep something in rather than let it out. Tears, information, or a crowd.

It splits round an object. The emotional sense is the most common, and holding back tears is a fixed phrase. There is a sense of concealment, since holding back information is a real accusation. And there is a sense of restraint on yourself, so not holding back means saying exactly what you think. Something that holds you back is an obstacle to your progress.

Definitions of hold back

1phrasehold backTo restrain something or keep it in.B2
“She could not hold back the tears any longer.”
2phrasepreventTo prevent somebody from progressing.B2
“His lack of confidence will hold back his career.”

Practised in Phrasal Verbs, A Man Called Ove

First appears in chapter 15 of A Man Called Ove.

Practise this word

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hold back

phraseB22 meaningsNot compared — the two pools are counted one word at a time, so a phrase has no score

To hold back is to keep something in rather than let it out. Tears, information, or a crowd.

Definitions of hold back

1phrasehold backTo restrain something or keep it in.B2
“She could not hold back the tears any longer.”
2phrasepreventTo prevent somebody from progressing.B2
“His lack of confidence will hold back his career.”

Practised in Phrasal Verbs, A Man Called Ove

First appears in chapter 15 of A Man Called Ove.

Practise this word