holding

Everyday

1. Holding is the -ing form of "hold": having something in your hands or arms, or keeping it in place. tree →
2. A holding is land or property that someone owns, like a small farm. tree →
3. Holdings are things like money, shares or books that a person or group owns or keeps. tree →
4. In sport, holding is an unfair move where you grab another player. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and stories: holding hands, holding your breath, holding on. In maths: a jug holding 2 litres (capacity). In business and history: land holdings. In safety: "Keep holding the rail". Phrases: holding hands, holding on, holding up, holding still, holding area.

Examples

• She is holding a kitten. tree →
• Keep holding the rail on the stairs. tree →
• We walked holding hands. tree →
• The jug is holding 2 litres of water. tree →
• He was holding his breath under water. tree →
• The family has a small holding of land by the river. tree →
• The library's holdings include rare maps. tree →
• The referee called holding against the player. tree →
• "What's the matter?" he asked, holding her tighter. tree →

Note

Verb is irregular: hold, held, held. Noun "holding" (land) is countable. "Smallholding" (UK) = small farm. In maths, "holding" often tells capacity or what someone has now.

In Jewish tradition

"Holding his peace" means staying quiet. It can also mean the act of keeping a gathering, as in "the holding of convocations", or of grasping something, as in "holding bribes".

Interpretation. Eliezer's quiet watching, as Rebekah drew water, shows him waiting for the sign he had asked God for. Isaiah teaches that holy days and gatherings mean nothing to God when people also do wrong, and that a righteous man refuses to hold bribes.

Examples

• And the man looked stedfastly on her; holding his peace, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. (Torah GEN.24.21, JPS 1917) tree →
• Bring no more vain oblations; it is an offering of abomination unto Me; new moon and sabbath, the holding of convocations — I cannot endure iniquity along with the solemn assembly. (Prophets ISA.1.13, JPS 1917) tree →
• He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from looking upon evil; (Prophets ISA.33.15, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Verb is irregular: hold, held, held. Noun "holding" (land) is countable. "Smallholding" (UK) = small farm. In maths, "holding" often tells capacity or what someone has now.