hold-up
noun
a robbery, esp an armed one
hold-up
Britishnoun
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a robbery, esp an armed one
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a delay; stoppage
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an excessive charge; extortion
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(usually plural) a stocking that is held up by an elasticated top without suspenders
verb
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(tr) to delay; hinder
we were held up by traffic
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(tr) to keep from falling; support
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(tr) to stop forcibly or waylay in order to rob, esp using a weapon
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(tr) to exhibit or present
he held up his achievements for our admiration
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(intr) to survive or last
how are your shoes holding up?
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bridge to refrain from playing a high card, so delaying the establishment of (a suit)
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to confess a mistake or misdeed
hold up
Idioms
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Offer or present as an example, as in The teacher held Bernie's essay up as a model for the class to follow . [c. 1600]
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Obstruct or delay, as in We were held up in traffic . [c. 1900]
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Rob, as in He was held up in a dark alley, with no help nearby . This usage, which gave rise to the noun holdup for a robbery, alludes to the robbers' demand that the victims hold their hands high. [Late 1800s]
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Also, hold out . Continue to function without losing force or effectiveness, endure. For example, We held up through that long bitter winter , or The nurse was able to hold out until someone could relieve her . [Late 1500s]
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See hold one's head high .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
For years, though, there has been a hold-up: The legislation the team said it needed hadn’t passed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
That led to a hold-up of several minutes before the game resumed, with Vinicius then being jeered by the home fans.
From Barron's ● Feb. 17, 2026
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government, which has steered clear of public criticism of the Trump administration, struck a conciliatory tone on the tech deal hold-up.
From Barron's ● Dec. 24, 2025
Tuchel likely sees Bellingham as a number 10, aiming to utilise him in the same way he has used Rogers, hoping to get good ball progression, hold-up play and goals.
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2025
“Gonna check things out up ahead—see if anyone knows what the hold-up is.”
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
If its sales hold up, it would become Charli's fourth UK number one overall, and her second this year, after the soundtrack to Wuthering Heights topped the chart in February.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
How the gains hold up if AI-centered turbulence continues unchecked remains to be seen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The screens that hold up over time are rooted in conviction and conscience, not the election calendar.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
Employment has also continued to hold up, consumer confidence is ticking higher, and new economic data has been largely benign, allowing strong earnings to take the stage.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Dad tilts his head to the side, and I hold up Pierre the pineapple.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.