「hold」不只是握住：On、Up、Back、Out

「hold」看起來很安靜。一隻手握著杯子，一個架子放著書，一個人拿著票。然後介副詞登場，這個動詞就開始接電話、堵車、忍住眼淚、頂住壓力，還會請大家稍等。這個字仍然表示「讓某物留在原位」，但英文對那個「某物」很有創意：可以是一個人、一項計畫、一種感受、一份時程，或困境中的一個據點。

快速解答

hold 的核心是「保持、支撐、不放開」。Hold on 表示等一下、抓緊，或在困難中撐下去。Hold up 表示延誤、支撐，或依然站得住腳。Hold back 表示克制、隱藏，或阻止前進。Hold out 表示抵抗、伸出，或持續夠用。每一種情況裡，都有某樣東西被留在原位，而不是任它自由移動。

核心概念

單純的 hold 可以是實體的，也可以是抽象的。你 hold a bag、hold a meeting、hold an opinion，也可以 hold someone's attention。這個片語家族保留了這個彈性的核心。

On 維持接觸，或讓情況繼續。Up 讓某物保持升起、被支撐，或被卡住延誤。Back 不讓某物前進或逃脫。Out 讓某物保持伸出、持續可用，或頂住壓力。

訣竅是看「被 hold 的是什麼」：一通電話、一座橋、一條車流、一個祕密、一行眼淚、一個報價，還是一線希望。

Hold On

hold on：等一下

這是電話裡的經典用法。

• "Hold on, I'll check the schedule."
• "Can you hold on for a minute?"
• "Hold on. I think we missed the turn."

它隨意而直接。在正式的客服場合，你比較會聽到 "Please hold."。在對話中，"hold on" 也可以表示「等等，好像不對」或「讓我想一下」。

hold on：抓緊

這是字面意思。

• "Hold on to the railing."
• "The bus is about to move, so hold on."
• "She held on to my sleeve in the crowd."

要說出抓住的東西時，加 to："hold on to the rope."

hold on：在困難中撐下去

這時的「抓緊」是情緒上或策略上的。

• "The team held on and won by one point."
• "Just hold on a little longer."
• "He held on to hope after the interview."

當事情艱難但還沒結束時，常會用到這個意思。

Hold Up

hold up：延誤

這在旅行、工作和規劃中很常見。

• "Sorry I'm late. I got held up in traffic."
• "The project was held up by a missing signature."
• "What's holding up the delivery?"

被動式特別常見："I was held up."、"the plan was held up."，表示有東西擋住了進度。

hold up：實際支撐

• "These old beams still hold up the roof."
• "Can this shelf hold up all those books?"
• "The wall is held up by steel supports."

這裡的意思接近字面上的「撐住」，up 加上了對抗重力的支撐感。

hold up：依然成立、經得起考驗

這是引申義，但很好體會：某樣東西在壓力下依然站得直。

• "Her explanation doesn't hold up."
• "The movie still holds up after all these years."
• "The evidence held up in court."

一個論點 "holds up"，表示它依然有說服力。一部老電影 "holds up"，表示它在現代觀眾眼中仍然好看。

Hold Back

hold back：克制或阻止前進

• "Security held back the crowd."
• "Fear of failure held him back."
• "The heavy rain held back the runners."

被擋下的東西可能是實體的、情緒的或社會性的。一個人可能被恐懼、缺錢或不公平的規則擋住去路。

hold back：隱藏感受或資訊

• "She tried to hold back her tears."
• "Don't hold back important details."
• "He was clearly angry, but he held back."

"Don't hold back." 可以表示「坦白說吧」或「全力以赴」。

• "This is a brainstorming meeting, so don't hold back."
• "The singer didn't hold back in the final chorus."

hold back：留級

在學校情境裡，hold back 可以表示讓學生重讀一年或一個級別。

• "He was held back in second grade."

這個意思相當特定，情境通常會讓它一目了然。

Hold Out

hold out：抵抗或持續拒絕

這個意思有很強的「不屈服」色彩。

• "The workers held out for better pay."
• "The town held out against the attack for weeks."
• "She held out until the price dropped."

要點出某人想要什麼時，用 for："hold out for a better offer."

hold out：伸出某物

這是字面用法，而且可以實際拆開。

• "He held out his hand."
• "She held the form out for me to sign."
• "The child held out an empty bowl."

受詞可以放在 hold 和 out 之間："held his hand out."

hold out：撐到最後、持續夠用

• "Our food supplies won't hold out much longer."
• "The battery held out until we reached the hotel."
• "As long as the weather holds out, we'll eat outside."

這講的是耐力：某樣東西持續可用、持續有利，或持續存在。

常見錯誤

• "Hold on the rope." → "Hold on to the rope." · 說出抓住的東西時要用 to。
• "The meeting was held on by traffic." → "I was held up by traffic." · 延誤用 hold up，常用被動式。
• "This argument doesn't hold on." → "This argument doesn't hold up." · 依然成立的論點用 hold up。
• "She held back to a better offer." → "She held out for a better offer." · 等待想要的結果是 hold out for。
• "Don't hold out your feelings." → "Don't hold back your feelings." · 克制感受是 hold back。

小練習

1. Please _____ _____ while I transfer your call.
2. The shipment was _____ _____ by bad weather.
3. His story sounds dramatic, but it doesn't _____ _____.
4. She tried to _____ _____ her laughter during the speech.
5. The team decided to _____ _____ for a higher salary offer.

解答

1. hold on — 電話裡的 hold on 是請對方稍等。
2. held up — 延誤常用被動式的 hold up。
3. hold up — 依然有說服力的說法是 hold up。
4. hold back — 克制情緒是 hold back。
5. hold out — 為了更好的條件而堅持是 hold out for。

小結

遇到 hold，想像有一股力量想移動某樣東西。片語動詞告訴你它是怎麼被留住的：留在線上、撐在空中、攔在身後，或頂在壓力之前。

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