hold-up

hold-up
   a robbery
   Literally, a delay of any kind, and I suppose a considerate thief may still hold up his hand to stop you before taking your valuables. Formerly, of stopping stagecoaches and robbing the occupants, but now of any robbery, especially where violence is threatened:
    You'll hold me up now, I suppose! (Chandler, 1939)

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • Hold — Hold, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Held}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Holding}. {Holden}, p. p., is obs. in elegant writing, though still used in legal language.] [OE. haldan, D. houden, OHG. hoten, Icel. halda, Dan. holde, Sw. h[*a]lla, Goth. haldan to feed, tend… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hold — hold1 [hōld] vt. held, holding [ME holden < Anglian OE haldan (WS healdan), akin to Ger halten, Goth haldan, to tend sheep < IE base * kel , to drive, incite to action > Gr kelēs, swift horse, L celer, swift: prob. sense development:… …   English World dictionary

  • Hold On — may refer to:ongs* Hold On (Tim Armstrong song) * Hold On (En Vogue song) * Hold On (Good Charlotte song) * Hold On (Jonas Brothers song) * Hold On (Korn song) * Hold On (John Lennon song) * Hold On (Magnet song) * Hold On (Razorlight song) *… …   Wikipedia

  • hold — Ⅰ. hold [1] ► VERB (past and past part. held) 1) grasp, carry, or support. 2) keep or detain. 3) have in one s possession. 4) contain or be capable of containing. 5) have or occupy (a job or position) …   English terms dictionary

  • Hold — Hold, v. i. In general, to keep one s self in a given position or condition; to remain fixed. Hence: [1913 Webster] 1. Not to move; to halt; to stop; mostly in the imperative. [1913 Webster] And damned be him that first cries, Hold, enough! Shak …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hold on — Hold Hold, v. i. In general, to keep one s self in a given position or condition; to remain fixed. Hence: [1913 Webster] 1. Not to move; to halt; to stop; mostly in the imperative. [1913 Webster] And damned be him that first cries, Hold, enough!… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hold up — Hold Hold, v. i. In general, to keep one s self in a given position or condition; to remain fixed. Hence: [1913 Webster] 1. Not to move; to halt; to stop; mostly in the imperative. [1913 Webster] And damned be him that first cries, Hold, enough!… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hold-up — [ ɔldɶp ] n. m. inv. • 1925; mot angl. amér., de to hold up one s hands « tenir les mains en l air » ♦ Anglic. Vol à main armée dans un lieu public. ⇒Fam. braquage. Hold up d une banque. Commettre un hold up. hold up n. m. inv. (Anglicisme)… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • hold — vb 1 hold back, withhold, reserve, detain, retain, *keep, keep back, keep out Analogous words: *restrain, inhibit, curb, check: preserve, conserve, *save Contrasted words: *relinquish, surrender, abandon, resign, yield 2 …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Hold — (h[=o]ld), n. 1. The act of holding, as in or with the hands or arms; the manner of holding, whether firm or loose; seizure; grasp; clasp; grip; possession; often used with the verbs take and lay. [1913 Webster] Ne have I not twelve pence within… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hold Me — Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me Saltar a navegación, búsqueda «Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me» Sencillo de U2 del álbum Batman Forever Soundtrack Publicación 5 y 6 de junio 1995 …   Wikipedia Español

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