What Does โHold out on sbโ Mean?
โHold out on sbโ means to keep information, help, or something valuable from someone, often intentionally.
Introduction
The phrase โhold out on sbโ is a common English phrasal verb used when someone deliberately withholds something from another person. This could be information, assistance, money, or support. Understanding the hold out on sb meaning helps learners recognize when someone is not being fully honest or cooperative. This expression is often used in casual conversations and sometimes in situations involving trust or fairness. Knowing how to use โhold out on sbโ correctly can improve your communication, especially when discussing relationships or disagreements.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: hold out on somebody
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: to withhold something from someone intentionally
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โHold out on sbโ is a transitive and inseparable phrasal verb, which means the object must come after the whole phrase.
- Correct pattern: hold out on + somebody
- Example: She is holding out on me.
- Incorrect: She is holding me out on.
How to Use โHold out on sbโ?
You use โhold out on sbโ when someone is not sharing something they should. This could be a secret, money, or help. It often implies a sense of unfairness or mistrust. The phrase is usually informal and fits well in spoken English.
Examples
Imagine you asked a friend for advice, but they didnโt tell you everything they knew. You could say, โI think sheโs holding out on me.โ
- He held out on his teammates during the project.
- Donโt hold out on me; I need to know the truth.
- They were holding out on us about the new job offer.
- Why are you holding out on your family about your plans?
- She held out on him and didnโt share the important details.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners confuse the word order or the meaning of โhold out on sb.โ
- Incorrect: He held on out me.
- Correct: He held out on me.
- Incorrect: She is holding me out on the secret.
- Correct: She is holding out on me about the secret.
Also, avoid using โhold out onโ when you mean โwait forโ or โrefuse to give up,โ as these meanings are different.
Differences / Synonyms
โHold out on sbโ is similar to โwithhold from sbโ but is more informal. Unlike โkeep something secret,โ which focuses only on information, โhold out on sbโ can also mean withholding help or money.
- Hold out on sb: withhold information, help, or money intentionally.
- Withhold from sb: more formal, usually about information or payment.
- Keep something secret: only about information.
- Hold back from sb: can mean to restrain emotions or actions, not necessarily about withholding something.
Common Collocations
Here are some common words used with โhold out onโ:
- Information โ not sharing facts or news.
- Help โ refusing to assist someone.
- Money โ not giving financial support.
- Details โ hiding important points or specifics.
- Secrets โ keeping confidential information.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of hold out on sb:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation between two friends:
Anna: I feel like youโre holding out on me about what happened yesterday.
Mark: Iโm sorry, I didnโt want to worry you.
Anna: Itโs better if youโre honest. Donโt hold out on me next time.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of โhold out onโ:
- She didnโt tell me everything. I think she is ________ me.
- Donโt ________ your friends when they need help.
- He was ________ us about the price of the car.
FAQs
- What does โhold out on sbโ mean? It means to keep something, like information or help, from someone intentionally.
- Is โhold out on sbโ formal or informal? It is mostly informal and used in everyday conversations.
- Can โhold out on sbโ be used with objects? Usually, it refers to people (sb) but the object held out is often information, help, or money.
- What is the difference between โhold out on sbโ and โwithhold from sbโ? โHold out on sbโ is more informal and can mean withholding help, while โwithhold from sbโ is more formal and usually about information or money.
- Is โhold out on sbโ separable? No, it is inseparable. The object must come after the full phrasal verb.
