The word HOLD can be used in different contexts and assume various meanings. See some of those contexts in the list below.

To have and keep in one’s grasp: The dictator held the reins tightly.

To aim or direct, to point: The firefighter held a hose on the source of the fire.

To keep from falling or moving; support: Charles used a nail but it was too small to hold the large mirror.

To sustain the pressure of: The old bridge can’t hold much weight.

To keep from departing or getting away: Hold the bus! Hold the dog until I find the leash.

To keep in custody: The police held the suspect 24 hours for questioning.

To retain (one’s attention or interest): Televised sports can’t hold my interest.

To avoid letting out or expelling: The swimmer held her breath while underwater.

To be filled by; to contain

To have as a chief characteristic or quality: The film holds many surprises.

To have in store: Let’s see what the future holds for her young daughters.

To have and maintain in one’s possession: Her family holds a great deal of property.

Too have as a responsibility or privilege: Jim held the governorship for six years.

To have in recognition of achievement or superiority: My brother holds the record for the one-mile race.

To maintain control over: Thieves held the stolen painting for ransom.

To maintain occupation by force: Protesters held the embassy for a week.

To maintain a given condition: The storyteller held the crowd spellbound.

To impose control or restraint: She held her temper.

To reserve or keep back from use: Please hold two tickets for us.

To defer the immediate handling of: The receptionist held all calls during the meeting.

Idiomatic English

Idioms with the word HOLD

Idiom	Meaning	Example
get (a) hold of	to come into possession of.	Where can I get hold of a copy of this book?
hold a candle to	to compare favourably with	The new version doesn’t hold a candle to its original.
hold up one’s end	to fulfil one’s part of an agreement; do one’s share.	Are you going to hold up your end of the bargain?
hold one’s own	maintain one’s position and be in control of a situation; be sufficiently competent in a certain situation	He can hold his own in a fight.
hold out on (someone)	to withhold something from (someone)	Don’t hold out on me; start telling the truth!
hold (someone’s) feet to the fire	to pressure (someone) to consent to or undertake something.	I think reporters really should hold the president’s feet to the fire about this issue.
hold the line	to maintain the existing position	The bank had to hold the line on salary increases.
hold sway	to have a controlling influence; dominate	Ten years after she correctly predicted the crash, she still holds sway among stock brokers.
hold water	to stand up to critical examination.	Your explanation doesn’t hold water.
on hold	keep a state of temporary interruption without severing a telephone connection.	The credit card representative put me on hold for 10 minutes.

Phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs with the word HOLD.

Phrasal verb	Meaning
hold against	have a grudge; show little respect
hold back	not showing emotion; prevent from progressing or moving forward; not disclose or make public
hold down	keep or have a job; prevent from moving by restraint; retain in your stomach
hold forth	state your opinions about something
hold off	delay; bad weather NOT appearing; prevent someone from attacking or beating you
hold on	wait; grip tightly
hold out	resist; extend in front of you
hold out for	wait for something better
hold out on	not disclose; not pay
hold over	delay; go longer than planned
hold to	hold to something: to do what you have promised or decided; hold someone to something:  to make someone do what they have promised or decided.
hold up	delay especially when travelling; Robbery
hold with	agree or accept

Fill in the blank with the correct phrasal verb from the list above.

1. Don’t hold _______ me now. Tell me where you were last night.
2. It’s hard to hold _______ a job in uncertain economic times.
3. “Why aren’t you eating all your dinner?”  “I’m holding ________ the chocolate mousse.”
4. She doesn’t hold _______ people living together before they are married.
5. Jane is holding ______ about capitalism’s benefit again. What a bore!
6. We had to hold ______ buying a new house this year as John lost his job.
7. The play got held ______ for the third straight week.
8. Hold ______ your hands. I have a surprise for you.
9. We were held _______ in the city center by a huge traffic jam.
10. It’s a bad habit. Don’t hold it _________ me.
11. He tried to hold _______ his tears while watching the sad movie but couldn’t.
12. “I’m going to clean the kitchen tonight.”  “I’m going to hold you _____ that.”
13. Hold ______! I’ll be ready in a minute.

The verb SET may have different meanings in different contexts. Let us learn some of them.

a) to put somebody or something somewhere – She set her book on the table.

b) to cause something or somebody to begin doing something – He sets my heart thumping.

c) to apply something to an object that will cause it to burn – They set fire to the house.

d) to focus your mind on a goal – Once he sets his mind to it, he can find a solution.

e) to solidify; cause something to become solid or hard – It takes 2 hours for concrete to set.

f) to arrange or to prepare something to be used – Jim has learned how to set the table.

g) to reach a decision about something such as time – They have set their wedding date.

h) to establish something that determines the direction of the future – The Parliament decided to set a limit to government spending.

i) to establish something that others will follow – She set an example for her younger brother.

Idiomatic English

Idiom	Meaning	Example
set a precedent	to establish a pattern to be followed in the future	He set a precedent by having the chaplain lead the academic procession.
set a trap	to prepare a trap to catch a person who is doing something wrong or illegal	They decided to set a trap for him by leaving him in charge.
set about to (do something or go somewhere)	to begin something	After putting up the tent, she set about making a fire.
set back (someone or something)	to cause someone/something to get behind schedule	New violence has set back the peace process.
set eyes on (someone or something)	to see for the first time	I knew when I set eyes on that car that it was the car for me.
set foot on	to step on or go somewhere for the first time	We were so happy to set foot on dry land.
set foot in	to enter	I’ll never set foot in this house again.
set forth (something)	to explain something exactly or clearly	She set her ideas forth in an organized and interesting manner.
set in stone	to be very difficult or impossible to change	The schedule isn’t set in stone, but we’d like to follow it pretty closely.

The verb BRING can be used in different contexts to mean different things. Check the various meanings of the verb accompanied by examples:

a) to take someone or something from one place and have them with you when you arrive somewhere else: Bring a coat in case it turns cold. Don’t forget to bring a friend to our graduation party.

b) to have something with you so that you can give it to someone when you arrive: I brought a gift for you.

c) to move something somewhere, bring something down: She reached up to the shelf and brought down a box.

d) to move something up: Bring your hands slowly up to shoulder height.

e) to be the cause of a state, situation or feeling: The agreement forms part of our efforts to bring peace to the region.

f) bring someone something: The baby has brought them great joy.

g) bring someone/something into contact with: My work brings me into contact with all kinds of people.

h) to suspect somebody as guilty: The authorities are expected to bring charges against both parties.

Phrasal verbs

Here are some phrasal verbs with the word BRING:

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
bring up	To raise (a child).	Sara is bringing up her children by herself.
bring somebody down	make unhappy.	This sad music is bringing me down.
bring up (something)	start talking about a subject	My mother walks out of the room when my father brings up sports.
bring something up	to vomit	He drank so much that he brought his dinner up in the toilet.

 

Idiomatic English

Learn these idioms with the word BRING

Idiom	Meaning
bring a smile to your face/lips	to make you smile
bring tears to your eyes	to make you cry, or to feel as if you are going to cry
bring something to an end/a close/a halt	to make something stop. He brought the conversation to a close.
can’t bring yourself (to do something)	to be unable to do something too unpleasant or embarrassing, or makes you too upset. He can’t even bring himself to talk to me.

Now try making your own sentence with the word BRING. Leave a sentence in the comments and we’ll correct your grammar.

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The word come can be used in different meanings. Here are some of the definitions and examples when the verb is used in different situations:

a) to approach or move toward a particular person or place: Don’t come any closer!

b) to arrive by movement or in the course of progress: The train from Boston is coming.

c) to approach or arrive in time, in succession, etc: Christmas comes once a year.

d) to extend, to reach: The dress comes to her knees.

There are many phrases formed with the verb come, such as:

Phrasal verb	Meaning
come about	happen
come across	meet accidentally
come again	used as a request to repeat a statement
come along	to accompany someone; to proceed, develop or advance
come around/round	to revive, to recover consciousness
come undone	(laces or rope) become untied

Idiomatic English: “Come”

Come and go – to occur briefly or suddenly but never for a long time.

He does not live here anymore, he comes and goes.

Come down on the side of – to support.

I want to come down on the side of truth and justice.

Come off – (informal) to happen; occur

Her speech came off very well.

 

Now try writing your own sentences with the word “come.”

 

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