hold up

1 to assign to a later time held up mail delivery until we had a permanent address Synonyms defer, delay, hold off (on), hold over, postpone, lay over, put off, put over, remit, shelveRelated Words suspend; hesitate, pause, stay; detain, retard, slow; extend, lengthen, prolong, protract, stretch (out); waitNear Antonyms act, deal (with), decide (upon), do, work (on)

2 to bring (something) to a standstill traffic was held up for miles by the accident Synonyms arrest, bring up, catch, check, draw up, fetch up, halt, pull up, stall, stay, still, stopRelated Words baffle, balk, block, blockade, bottleneck, clog, dam, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, obstruct, snag, stem; conclude, cut off, end, terminate; call, discontinue, suspend; choke off, rein (in), repress, squash, squelch, stanch (or staunch), stunt, suppress, turn backNear Antonyms carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep (on), keep up, persist, run on; advance, fare, go along, march, move, proceed, progress, wend; actuate, budge, drive, goad, impel, propel, push, spur, stir

3 to create difficulty for the work or activity of if lack of transportation is the only thing holding you up, I can give you a ride Synonyms clog, cramp, embarrass, encumber, fetter, handcuff, handicap, hinder, hobble, hog-tie, hold back, hamper, impede, inhibit, interfere (with), manacle, obstruct, shackle, short-circuit, stymie, tie up, trammelRelated Words balk, check, constrain, curb, rein, restrain; bind, chain, halter, leash, tether, tie; arrest, brake, delay, retain, retard; barricade, block, blockade, roadblock; bog (down), mire; choke, smother, stifle, strangle, suffocate; baffle, foil, frustrate, stump, thwart; derail, disrupt, sabotage; muzzle, repress, suppress; confine, hedge (in), hem (in)Near Antonyms clear, make way, open, unclog, unplug, unstop; free, liberate, release, untie; loosen, smooth; encourage, further, promoteAntonyms aid, assist, facilitate, help

4 to continue to operate or to meet one's needs the air conditioner held up this year, but it's not going to make it through another summer Synonyms hold out, keep up, last, prevail, surviveRelated Words bear up, carry on, cope, endure, fare, get along, get by, get on, go, hang in, make out, manage, persevere; abide, continue, draw out, hang on, hold on, linger, persist, remain, run on, stretchNear Antonyms break, break down, collapse, conk (out), crash, cut out, die, expire, stall, stop; run down, waneAntonyms fail, fizzle, give out, go out, peter (out), run out

5 to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state the storm's hurricane-force winds did not hold up once it hit the coast Synonyms abide, bide, endure, hold on, continue, keep up, last, perdure, persist, remain, run onRelated Words linger, stay, stick around, tarry; carry through, prevail, surviveNear Antonyms abate, die (down), ebb, let up, moderate, subside, waneAntonyms cease, close, conclude, desist, die, discontinue, end, expire, finish, lapse, leave off, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up

6 to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval an argument that won't hold up in court Synonyms fly, wash, pass, stand upRelated Words get through, go down, go over, go through, play, take, work