hold the fort

phrase

1

: to maintain a firm position

2

: to take care of usual affairs

is holding the fort until the manager returns

Examples of hold the fort in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With the color contrast north of her nose, her lips held the fort in soft taupe and nude gloss. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 24 July 2026

Elliot Anderson — England/Manchester City (+11) Anderson played three different midfield roles against Norway, and held the fort in the middle of the pitch pretty much alone between the withdrawal of Declan Rice and the introduction of Reece James. — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 13 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1