Read the Bible

KJV dictionary & concordance

hold

Meaning of “hold”

Sense 1: To grasp, seize, cling to, carry, wield, support, or keep fast, literally or figuratively. Sense 2: To keep, retain, possess, maintain, continue in, or adhere to. Sense 3: To restrain, confine, or keep back; to contain or have capacity. Sense 4: To regard, account, or judge. Sense 5: To conduct or celebrate an observance. Sense 6: To endure, prevail, or take effect. Sense 7: In hold one's peace or hold one's tongue, to remain silent. Sense 8: As a noun, a grasp or attachment; a place of confinement, refuge, security, or fortification.

Definition sources

KJV context and cross-referencesSkeat 1893Webster 1828
185 occurrences182 verses41 booksKJV PCE

Some verses contain the word more than once.

First occurrence: Genesis 19:16

Complete exact-word concordance

Every verse containing “hold”

KJV PCE

Remembering a verse with different wording? Find a verse across the Bible →

Showing verses 1–6 of 6 · 6 word occurrences in this result

1 Kings 1:50
¶ And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 1:50 · retained source text

¶ And Adoniiah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the hornes of the Altar.

1 Kings 1:51
And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 1:51 · retained source text

And it was tolde Solomon, saying, Behold, Adoniiah feareth King Solomon: for loe, he hath caught hold on the hornes of the Altar, saying, Let King Solomon sweare vnto mee to day, that hee will not slay his seruant with the sword.

1 Kings 2:9
Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 2:9 · retained source text

Nowe therefore holde him not guiltlesse: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to doe vnto him, but his hoare head bring thou downe to the graue with blood.

1 Kings 2:28
¶ Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 2:28 · retained source text

¶ Then tidings came to Ioab (for Ioab had turned after Adoniiah, though hee turned not after Absalom) and Ioab fled vnto the Tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the hornes of the Altar.

1 Kings 9:9
And they shall answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 9:9 · retained source text

And they shall answere, Because they forsooke the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and haue taken hold vpon other gods, and haue worshipped them, and serued them: therefore hath the LORD brought vpon them all this euill.

1 Kings 13:4
And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
1 word occurrence in this verse
The 1611 reading
1611 witness · 1 Kings 13:4 · retained source text

And it came to passe when king Ieroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him: And his hand which hee put foorth against him, dried vp, so that hee could not pull it in againe to him.

Complete reference index — all 182 verses

Where “hold” appears

Select a book to filter the concordance. Occurrences and verses are counted separately.

Source order

Definition evidence

Historical English dictionary sources

Historical definitions

To stop; to confine; to restrain from escape; to keep fast; to retain. To embrace and confine, with bearing or lifting. To connect; to keep from separation. To maintain, as an opinion. To consider; to regard; to think; to judge. To contain, or to have capacity to receive and contain. To defend; to keep possession; to maintain. To have; to possess. To refrain; to stop; to restrain; to withhold. To keep; as, hold your peace. To maintain; to retain; to continue. To have in session. To celebrate; to solemnize. To sustain; to support. To carry; to wield. To maintain; to observe in practice.

volume 1, leaf 914 (transitive verb entry)

To be true; not to fail; to stand, as a fact or truth. To continue. To be fast; to be firm; not to give way. To hold on, to continue; not to be interrupted; to proceed in a course. To hold to, to cling or cleave to; to adhere. Hold, used imperatively, signifies stop; cease; forbear; be still.

volume 1, leaves 914-915 (intransitive verb entry)

A grasp with the hand; an embrace with the arms; any act or exertion which keeps a thing fast and prevents escape. Something which may be seized for support; that which supports. A prison; a place of confinement. A lurking place; a place of security. A fortified place; a fort; a castle; often called a strong hold.

volume 1, leaf 915 (noun entry)