源etymfun
About

Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

Explanations are written by a local model (gemma4) and only published after a verification pass against the cited sources. How it works.

English

hold

/həʊld/
To grasp or grip.

    Etymology graph

    • inherited
    • borrowed
    • derived
    • parts
    • meaning component
    • sound component
    • related
    React Flow
    Press enter or space to select a node. You can then use the arrow keys to move the node around. Press delete to remove it and escape to cancel.
    Press enter or space to select an edge. You can then press delete to remove it or escape to cancel.

    Click a node to zoom in · double-click to open it

    Origin

    Etymology 1

    Derived from Middle English holden, derived from Old English healdan, derived from Proto-West Germanic *haldan, derived from Proto-Germanic *haldaną (“to tend, herd”), maybe derived from Proto-Indo-European *kel- (“to drive”). Doublet of halt.

    Cognates

    *West Frisian hâlde

    *Low German holden, holen

    *Dutch houden

    *German halten

    *Danish

    *Norwegian Bokmål holde

    *Norwegian Nynorsk halda.

    Compare Latin celer (“quick”), Tocharian B käl- (“to goad, drive”), Ancient Greek κέλλω (kéllō, “to drive”), Sanskrit कलयति (kalayati, “to impel”).

    Etymology 2

    Alteration (due to hold) of hole. Cognate with Dutch hol (“hole, cave, den, cavity, cargo hold”), Dutch holte (“cavity, hollow, den”).

    Etymology 3

    From Middle English hold, holde, from Old English hold (“gracious, friendly, kind”), from Proto-West Germanic *holþ, from Proto-Germanic *hulþaz (“favourable, gracious, loyal”), from Proto-Indo-European *kel- (“to tend, incline, bend, tip”).

    Cognate with German hold (“gracious, friendly, sympathetic, grateful”), Danish and Swedish huld (“fair, kindly, gracious”), Icelandic hollur (“faithful, dedicated, loyal”), German Huld (“grace, favour”).

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • inheritedMiddle Englishholden “to grasp; to possess; to hold (a belief or opinion”
      • inheritedOld Englishhealdan “to grasp, hold fast; to possess”
        • inheritedProto-West Germanic*haldan “to hold; to keep”
          • derivedProto-Germanic*haldaną “to tend, herd”
    • rootProto-Indo-European*kel- “to drive”
    • inheritedMiddle Englishhold “loyal, faithful”
      • derivedOld Englishhold “gracious, friendly, kind”
        • derivedProto-West Germanic*holþ
          • derivedProto-Germanic*hulþaz “favourable, gracious, loyal”

    Related: English halt (doublet), West Frisian hâlde, Low German holden, Dutch houden, German halten, Norwegian Bokmål holde, Norwegian Nynorsk halda, Latin celer, Tocharian B käl-, Ancient Greek κέλλω, Sanskrit कलयति, Dutch hol, Dutch holte, German hold, Swedish huld, Icelandic hollur, German Huld

    Meanings

    verb
    1. To grasp or grip.
    2. To contain or store.
    3. To have and keep possession of something.
    4. To reserve.
    5. To cause to wait or delay.
    6. To halt or delay (medication) temporarily.
    noun
    1. A grasp or grip.
    2. An act or instance of holding.
    3. A place where animals are held for safety
    4. An order that something is to be reserved or delayed, limiting or preventing how it can be dealt with.
    5. Something reserved or kept.
    6. Power over someone or something.
    adj
    1. Gracious; friendly; faithful; true.

    Sources

    • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
    • Wiktionary: hold