hold-down

1 of 2

noun

1
: something used to fasten an object in place
2
a
: an act of holding down
b
: limit
agreed to wage-rate hold-downs

hold down

2 of 2

verb

held down; holding down; holds down

transitive verb

1
: to keep within limits
hold the noise down
2
: to assume or have responsibility for
holding down two jobs

Examples of hold-down in a Sentence

Verb efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
SpaceX tested the water deluge system several times since April, including on a pair of hold-down engine tests with the Super Heavy booster in August. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 18 Nov. 2023 If the hold-down clamp is not tightened properly, the battery could move, allowing the positive terminal to contact the clamp and short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire, the company said. CBS News, 1 Nov. 2023 See all Example Sentences for hold-down 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hold-down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hold-down was in 1533

Dictionary Entries Near hold-down

Cite this Entry

“Hold-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold-down. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!