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Antonyms for held down


Grammar : Adj, adv, verb
Spell : hohld
Phonetic Transcription : hoʊld



Definition of held down

Origin :
  • Old English haldan (Anglian), healdan (West Saxon), "to contain, grasp; retain; foster, cherish," class VII strong verb (past tense heold, past participle healden), from Proto-Germanic *haldanan (cf. Old Saxon haldan, Old Frisian halda, Old Norse halda, Dutch houden, German halten "to hold," Gothic haldan "to tend"), originally "to keep, tend, watch over" (as cattle), later "to have." Ancestral sense is preserved in behold. The original past participle holden was replaced by held beginning 16c., but survives in some legal jargon and in beholden.
  • Hold back is 1530s, transitive; 1570s, intransitive; hold off is early 15c., transitive; c.1600, intransitive; hold out is 1520s as "to stretch forth," 1580s as "to resist pressure." Hold on is early 13c. as "to maintain one’s course," 1830 as "to keep one’s grip on something," 1846 as an order to wait or stop. To hold (one's) tongue "be silent" is from c.1300. To hold (one's) own is from early 14c. To hold (someone's) hand "give moral support" is from 1935. Phrase hold your horses "be patient" is from 1844. To have and to hold have been paired alliteratively since at least c.1200, originally of marriage but also of real estate.
  • As in silenced : adj quieted
  • As in under : adv below
  • As in inhibit : verb restrict, prevent
  • As in manage : verb be in charge, control
  • As in pin : verb attach, hold in place
  • As in quiet : verb make silent, calm
  • As in restrict : verb confine, limit situation or ability to participate
  • As in stifle : verb prevent, restrain
  • As in suppress : verb restrain, hold in check
  • As in weigh down : verb depress
  • As in withhold : verb keep back
  • As in hold back : verb repress
  • As in bottle up : verb hold in check
  • As in check : verb hinder, restrain
  • As in constrain : verb force; restrain
  • As in curb : verb repress, restrict
  • As in grind : verb oppress
  • As in hold back/hold off : verb repress
Example sentences :
  • He said nothing in reply at first, but held down his head, and struggled with him silently.
  • Extract from : « Barnaby Rudge » by Charles Dickens
  • It was the truth; John could not deny it; he held down his head and was silent.
  • Extract from : « The Christian » by Hall Caine
  • Her head was held down and there was a little nervous tremor at her heart.
  • Extract from : « The Eternal City » by Hall Caine
  • Roma's eyes were held down, her voice was agitated, she was scarcely able to speak.
  • Extract from : « The Eternal City » by Hall Caine
  • These nuts should be turned up so that the battery is held down tight.
  • Extract from : « The Automobile Storage Battery » by O. A. Witte
  • Gerald held down his head and muttered a half audible 'Yes.'
  • Extract from : « Gerald Fitzgerald » by Charles James Lever
  • He held down the stun-pistol trigger and traversed the rushing men.
  • Extract from : « The Pirates of Ersatz » by Murray Leinster
  • Julia was the only one who was held down to regular hours of practising, but they all played.
  • Extract from : « My Antonia » by Willa Cather
  • They said I chattered and screamed, and had to be held down in the bed.
  • Extract from : « Little Folks (October 1884) » by Various
  • He arrives there because he cannot be held down and remains as long as he proves his worth.
  • Extract from : « Frenzied Finance » by Thomas W. Lawson

Synonyms for held down

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019