1. Occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
   "enemy-held territory"

1. Have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense
   "She holds a Master's degree from Harvard";
   - have, have got
    
2. Be the physical support of; carry the weight of
   "The beam holds up the roof"; "What's holding that mirror?";
   - support, sustain, hold up
    
3. To close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement
   "This holds the local until the express passengers change trains"; "About a dozen animals were held inside the stockade"; "The illegal immigrants were held at a detention centre"; "The terrorists held the journalists for ransom";
   - restrain, confine, constrain
    
4. Cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity
   "hold in place"; "She always held herself as a lady";
   - keep, maintain
    
5. Have or maintain something within or upon
   "The canteen holds fresh water";
   - bear, carry, contain
    
6. Organize or be responsible for
   "hold a reception";
   - throw, have, make, give
    
7. Consider or judge to be of a specified nature, status, or character
   "hold these truths to be self-evident"; "I hold him personally responsible";
   - deem [formal], view as, take for, esteem [formal]
    
8. Maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
   "hold a resentment";
   - harbor [N. Amer], harbour [Brit, Cdn], entertain, nurse, bear
    
9. Secure and keep for possible future use or application
   "The landlord held the security deposit";
   - retain, keep back, hold back
    
10. Have rightfully; of rights, titles, and offices
    "He held the governorship for almost a decade";
    - bear
     
11. Remain in a certain state, position, or condition
    "The weather held"; "They held on the road and kept marching"
     
12. Have room for
    "The auditorium can't hold more than 500 people";
    - accommodate, admit
     
13. Be capable of holding or containing
    "The flask holds one gallon";
    - contain, take
     
14. Be valid, applicable, or true
    "This theory still holds";
    - prevail, obtain
     
15. Assert or affirm
    "Rousseau's philosophy holds that people are inherently good"
     
16. Have as a major characteristic
    "The novel holds many surprises"; "The book holds in store much valuable advise"
     
17. Arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance
    "please hold a table at Maxim's";
    - reserve, book
     
18. Protect against a challenge or attack
    "Hold that position behind the trees!"; "Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks";
    - defend, guard
     
19. Bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted
    "He's held by a contract"; "I'll hold you by your promise";
    - oblige, bind, obligate
     
20. Hold the attention of
    "The soprano held the audience"; "This story held our interest"; "She can hold an audience spellbound"
     
21. Remain committed to
    "I hold to these ideas"
     
22. Resist or confront with resistance
    "The bridge held"; "The fortress held up against the siege";
    - defy, withstand, hold up
     
23. Be pertinent, relevant or applicable
    "This theory holds for all irrational numbers";
    - apply, go for
     
24. Stop dealing with
    "hold all calls to the President's office while he is in a meeting"
     
25. Lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits
    "hold your tongue"; "hold in your anger";
    - control, hold in, contain, check, curb, moderate
     
26. Keep from departing
    "Hold the taxi"; "Hold the horse"
     
27. Take and maintain control over, often by violent means
    "The dissatisfied students held the President's office for almost a week"
     
28. Cause to come to an abrupt stop
    "hold the engines";
    - halt, arrest
     
29. Cover as for protection against noise or smell
    "She held her ears when the jackhammer started to operate"; "hold one's nose"
     
30. Drink alcohol without showing ill effects
    "He can hold his liquor";
    - carry
     
31. Aim, point, or direct
    "Hold the fire extinguisher directly on the flames"
     
32. Judge or state to be
    "judge held that the defendant was innocent";
    - declare, adjudge
     
33. Be in accord; be in agreement
    "I hold with those who say life is sacred";
    - agree, concur, concord
     
34. Keep from exhaling or expelling
    "hold your breath"
     
35. Support or hold in a certain manner
    "She holds her head high";
    - carry, bear

See also: be known as, know as, look on, look upon, regard as, repute, take to be, think of

Type of: act, affirm, aim, ask for, assert, aver, avow, be, bear on, becharm [archaic], beguile, believe, bespeak, bewitch, booze [informal], call for, captivate, capture, catch, cause, charm, command, conceive, concern, consider, continue, control, cover, defer, direct, disable, disenable [archaic], dispute [archaic], drink, enamor [US], enamour [Brit, Cdn], enchant, entrance, evaluate, exist, experience, fascinate, feel, fuddle, get, go along, go on, have, have to do with, hit the bottle [informal], hold back, hold on, hold out, hold over, incapacitate, include, induce, judge, keep, keep back, make, move, pass judgment, pertain, postpone, prevent, proceed, prorogue, protect, put back, put off, put over, reckon, refer, regard, relate, remit, request, resist, restrain, see, set back, shelve, stand firm, stimulate, stop, swear, table [N. Amer], take, take aim, think, touch, touch on, train, trance [literary], verify, view, withstand

Encyclopedia: Held, Paul