holds, held, holding
to hold up
phrasal verbC
To rob or threaten with violence, especially in a public place
- 1The store was held up by two masked men.
- 2He was held up at gunpoint.
This means someone uses force or says they will hurt another person to take their money or things, often in places like banks or stores. The person doing this usually has a weapon, like a gun, and scares others to get what they want quickly.
People often say "The bank was held up yesterday" to describe a robbery, so listen for this phrase in news stories or crime shows.
Marks every word in this card as Known in your Word Bank. Words you selected as To Study are skipped. You can change any word later in your Word Bank.
at a car cleaning service
Unexpected Encounter
James
Did you hear about the incident last night?
Jennifer
No, what happened?
James
Someone tried to hold up the convenience store nearby.
Jennifer
That's scary! I hope everyone is okay.
during a job interview
A Surprising Revelation
Edward
I noticed a gap in your employment history last year.
Elizabeth
Yes, I had to take some time off after I was held up at the bank.
Edward
That sounds terrifying. I hope you're okay now.
Elizabeth
Thank you, it was a tough experience, but I'm ready to move forward.
Show More…
Similar to "to hold up":
- 1rob
- 2mug
