hold up meaning and definition

HOLD UP verb

Definition of hold up (verb)

1. be the physical support of; carry the weight of
   • "The beam holds up the roof"; "He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam"; "What's holding that mirror?"
   • synonyms: hold, support, sustain
2. hold up something as an example; hold up one's achievements for admiration
3. cause to be slowed down or delayed
   • "Traffic was delayed by the bad weather"; "she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform"
   • synonyms: delay, detain
   • antonym: hurry
4. rob at gunpoint or by means of some other threat
   • synonyms: stick up
5. continue to live through hardship or adversity
   • "We went without water and food for 3 days"; "These superstitions survive in the backwaters of America"; "The race car driver lived through several very serious accidents"; "how long can a person last without food and water?"
   • synonyms: endure, go, hold out, last, live, live on, survive
6. resist or confront with resistance
   • "The politician defied public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held"
   • synonyms: defy, hold, withstand
7. resist or withstand wear, criticism, etc.
   • "Her shoes won't hold up"; "This theory won't hold water"
   • synonyms: hold water, stand up