hold on, hold off, hold up, hold to. - hold on = 1. to maintain a state (of being connected or sustaining something), 2. To keep waiting. - hold off = to keep (something undesirable) from happening. - hold up = 1. to keep in a good state (against bad effects, adversaries, etc), 2) to threaten and rob a shop/business by force. - hold to = maintain a holding state. * Please hold on = Please wait. * H held on to the money = didn't spend it. * The guards held off the protestors at the door = kept them from coming in. * The child held (on) to his mom's arm = didn't let go of it.