Hold vs. Carry — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 3, 2024
"Hold" refers to keeping an object in place or in one's hands, emphasizing stationary support; "carry" involves transporting an object from one location to another, indicating movement.
Difference Between Hold and Carry
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The term "hold" is primarily used when referring to the action of grasping or keeping something in a specific position without moving it. On the other hand, "carry" denotes the action of moving an object while supporting it, often involving some form of travel.
While holding something can be a passive act requiring minimal movement, carrying it necessitates active engagement and motion, often over distances.
In terms of physical effort, holding something might demand endurance especially if the object is heavy, whereas carrying also involves strength and balance to move the object.
The context of usage also differs: "hold" can be used in both literal and figurative senses (e.g., holding a thought), while "carry" typically involves physical actions but can also be metaphorical (e.g., carrying a burden).
Comparison Chart
Definition
To keep an object in a fixed position
To transport an object from one place to another
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Physical Effort
May require endurance
Requires strength and balance
Movement
Stationary
Involves motion
Usage
Both literal and figurative
Mainly literal, occasionally figurative
Examples
Holding a book while reading
Carrying a box upstairs
Compare with Definitions
Hold
To possess or occupy something.
He holds the record for most goals.
Carry
To support and move someone or something while walking.
She carried her tired child home.
Hold
To keep something in position without moving it.
She can hold her breath for over a minute.
Carry
To convey or communicate.
The speaker carried his message across the audience.
Hold
To maintain a position or condition.
Hold the door open, please.
Carry
To transport or move something from one place to another.
Can you carry this bag for me?
Hold
To keep something in place.
Hold that thought.
Carry
To bear the weight of something while moving.
He carries the responsibility well.
Hold
To grasp or carry something in one's hands or arms without moving.
He held the baby carefully.
Carry
To sustain or continue in a particular condition.
They carry on the family tradition.
Hold
To have and keep in one's grasp
Held the reins tightly.
Carry
To hold or support while moving; bear
Carried the baby in my arms.
Carrying a heavy backpack.
Hold
To aim or direct; point
Held a hose on the fire.
Carry
To move or take from one place to another; transport
A train carrying freight.
A courier carrying messages.
Hold
To keep from falling or moving; support
A nail too small to hold the mirror.
Hold the horse steady.
Papers that were held together with staples.
Carry
Chiefly Southern US To escort or accompany.
Hold
To sustain the pressure of
The old bridge can't hold much weight.
Carry
To serve as a means for the conveyance of; transmit
Pipes that carry waste water.
A bridge that carries traffic between the two cities.
Hold
To keep from departing or getting away
Hold the bus! Hold the dog until I find the leash.
Carry
To communicate; pass on
The news was carried by word of mouth to every settlement.
Hold
To keep in custody
Held the suspect for questioning.
Carry
To express or contain
Harsh words that carried a threat of violence.
Hold
To retain (one's attention or interest)
Televised sports can't hold my interest.
Carry
To have (something) on the surface or skin; bear
Carries scars from acne.
Hold
To avoid letting out or expelling
The swimmer held her breath while underwater.
Carry
To hold or be capable of holding
The tank carries 16 gallons when full.
Hold
To be filled by; contain
This drawer holds socks.
Carry
To support (a weight or responsibility).
Hold
To be capable of holding
A pitcher that holds a quart.
Carry
To support the weight or responsibility of
A beam that carries the floor.
A student who carries a heavy course load.
Hold
To have as a chief characteristic or quality
The film holds many surprises.
Carry
To keep or have on one's person
Stopped carrying credit cards.
Hold
To have in store
Let's see what the future holds.
Carry
To be pregnant with (offspring).
Hold
To have and maintain in one's possession
Holds a great deal of property.
Carry
To hold and move (the body or a part of it) in a particular way
Carried her head proudly.
Hold
To have as a responsible position or a privilege
Held the governorship for six years.
Carry
To behave or conduct (oneself) in a specified manner.
Hold
To have in recognition of achievement or superiority
Holds the record for the one-mile race.
Holds the respect of her peers.
Carry
To extend or continue in space, time, or degree
Carried the line to the edge of the page.
Carry a joke too far.
Hold
To maintain control over
Thieves held the stolen painting for ransom.
Carry
To give impetus to; propel
The wind carried the ball over the fence.
Hold
To maintain occupation of by force or coercion
Protesters held the embassy for a week.
Carry
To take further; advance
Carry a cause.
Hold
To withstand the efforts or advance of (an opposing team, for example).
Carry
To take or seize, especially by force; capture.
Hold
To maintain in a given condition, situation, or action
The storyteller held the crowd spellbound.
Carry
To be successful in; win
Lost the game but carried the match.
Hold
To impose control or restraint on; curb
She held her temper.
Carry
To gain victory, support, or acceptance for
The motion was carried in a close vote.
Hold
To stop the movement or progress of
Hold the presses!.
Carry
To win a majority of the votes in
Roosevelt carried all but two states in the 1936 presidential election.
Hold
To reserve or keep back from use
Please hold two tickets for us. Hold the relish on that hamburger.
Carry
To gain the sympathy of; win over
The amateurs' enthusiasm carried the audience.
Hold
To defer the immediate handling of
The receptionist held all calls during the meeting.
Carry
To include or keep on a list
Carried a dozen workers on the payroll.
Hold
To own or have title to.
Carry
To have as an attribute or accompaniment
An appliance carrying a full-year guarantee.
Hold
To be in possession of, whether legally entitled or not
Holds an interest in the company.
Carry
To involve as a condition, consequence, or effect
The crime carried a five-year sentence.
Hold
To bind by a contract.
Carry
(Physics) To possess (an intrinsic property, such as color charge) or convey (a force) that governs particle interactions.
Hold
To adjudge or decree
The court held that the defendant was at fault.
Carry
To transfer from one place, as a column, page, or book, to another
Carry a number in addition.
Hold
To make accountable; obligate
He held me to my promise.
Carry
To keep in stock; offer for sale
A store that carries a full line of electronic equipment.
Hold
To keep in the mind or convey as a judgment, conviction, or point of view
Holds that this economic program is the only answer to high prices.
Carry
To keep in one's accounts as a debtor
Carried the unemployed customer for 90 days.
Hold
To assert or affirm, especially formally
This doctrine holds that people are inherently good.
Carry
To maintain or support (one that is weaker or less competent, for example).
Hold
To regard in a certain way
I hold you in high esteem.
Carry
To compensate for (a weaker member or partner) by one's performance.
Hold
To cause to take place; carry on
Held the race in Texas.
Hold a yard sale.
Carry
To place before the public; print or broadcast
The morning papers carried the story. The press conference was carried by all networks.
Hold
To assemble for and conduct the activity of; convene
Held a meeting of the board.
Carry
To produce as a crop.
Hold
To carry or support (the body or a bodily part) in a certain position
Can the baby hold herself up yet? Hold up your leg.
Carry
To provide forage for (livestock)
Land that carries sheep.
Hold
To cover (the ears or the nose, for example) especially for protection
Held my nose against the stench.
Carry
To sing (a melody, for example) on key
Carry a tune.
Hold
To maintain a grasp or grip on something.
Carry
(Nautical) To be equipped with (a mast or sail).
Hold
To stay securely fastened
The chain held.
Carry
To cover (a distance) or advance beyond (a point or object) in one golf stroke.
Hold
To maintain a desired or accustomed position or condition
Hopes the weather will hold.
Carry
To control and advance (a ball or puck).
Hold
To withstand stress, pressure, or opposition
The defense held. We held firm on the negotiations.
Carry
(Basketball) To palm (the ball) in violation of the rules.
Hold
To continue in the same direction
The ship held to an easterly course.
Carry
To act as a bearer
Teach a dog to fetch and carry.
Hold
To be valid, applicable, or true
The observation still holds in cases like this.
Carry
To be transmitted or conveyed
A voice that carries well.
Hold
To halt an intended action. Often used in the imperative.
Carry
To admit of being transported
Unbalanced loads do not carry easily.
Hold
To stop the countdown during a missile or spacecraft launch.
Carry
To hold the neck and head in a certain way. Used of a horse.
Hold
(Slang) To have in one's possession illicit or illegally obtained material or goods, especially narcotics
The suspect was holding.
Carry
To be accepted or approved
The proposal carried by a wide margin.
Hold
The act or a means of grasping.
Carry
The act or process of carrying.
Hold
A manner of grasping an opponent, as in wrestling or aikido
A neck hold.
An arm hold.
Carry
A portage, as between two navigable bodies of water.
Hold
Something that may be grasped or gripped, as for support.
Carry
(Football) An act of running with the ball on an offensive play from scrimmage
A carry of six yards.
Hold
A control or adjustor on a television that keeps the screen image in proper position
Adjusted the horizontal hold.
Carry
The range of a gun or projectile.
Hold
A telephone service that allows one to temporarily interrupt a call without severing the connection.
Carry
The distance traveled by a hurled or struck ball.
Hold
A bond or force that attaches or restrains, or by which something is affected or dominated
A writer with a strong hold on her readership.
Carry
Reach; projection
"a voice that had far more carry to it than at any time in the term thus far" (Jimmy Breslin).
Hold
Complete control
Has a firm hold on the complex issues.
Carry
(transitive) To lift (something) and take it to another place; to transport (something) by lifting.
Hold
Full understanding
Has a good hold on physics.
Carry
(transitive) To notionally transfer from one place (such as a country, book, or column) to another.
To carry the war from Greece into Asia
To carry an account to the ledger
Hold
The sustaining of a note longer than its indicated time value.
Carry
(transitive) To convey by extension or continuance; to extend.
The builders are going to carry the chimney through {{the roof.
}} They would have carried the road ten miles further, but ran out of materials.
Hold
The symbol designating this pause; a fermata.
Carry
To move; to convey using force
Hold
A direction or indication that something is to be reserved or deferred.
Carry
(transitive) To lead or guide.
Hold
A temporary halt, as in a countdown.
Carry
(transitive) To stock or supply (something); to have in store.
The corner drugstore doesn't carry his favorite brand of aspirin.
Hold
A prison cell.
Carry
(transitive) To adopt (something); take (something) over.
I think I can carry Smith's work while she is out.
Hold
The state of being in confinement; custody.
Carry
(transitive) To adopt or resolve on, especially in a deliberative assembly
The court carries that motion.
Hold
(Archaic) A fortified place; a stronghold.
Carry
In an addition, to transfer the quantity in excess of what is countable in the units in a column to the column immediately to the left in order to be added there.
Five and nine are fourteen; carry the one to the tens place.
Hold
The lower interior part of a ship or airplane where cargo is stored.
Carry
(transitive) To have, hold, possess or maintain (something).
Always carry sufficient insurance to protect against a loss.
Hold
(transitive) To grasp or grip.
Hold the pencil like this.
Carry
(intransitive) To be transmitted; to travel.
The sound of the bells carried for miles on the wind.
Hold
(transitive) To contain or store.
This package holds six bottles.
Carry
To insult, to diss.
Hold
(heading) To maintain or keep to a position or state.
Carry
To capture a ship by coming alongside and boarding.
Hold
(transitive) To have and keep possession of something.
Hold my coat for me.
The general ordered the colonel to hold his position at all costs.
Carry
To transport (the ball) whilst maintaining possession.
Hold
(transitive) To reserve.
Hold a table for us at 7:00.
Carry
(transitive) To have on one's person.
She always carries a purse;
Marsupials carry their young in a pouch
Hold
(transitive) To cause to wait or delay.
Hold the elevator.
Carry
To be pregnant (with).
The doctor said she's carrying twins.
Hold
(transitive) To detain.
Hold the suspect in this cell.
Carry
To have propulsive power; to propel.
A gun or mortar carries well.
Hold
To be or remain valid; to apply (usually in the third person).
To hold true;
The proposition holds.
Carry
To hold the head; said of a horse.
To carry well, i.e. to hold the head high, with arching neck
Hold
To keep oneself in a particular state.
To hold firm
Carry
(hunting) To have earth or frost stick to the feet when running, as a hare.
Hold
(transitive) To impose restraint upon; to limit in motion or action; to bind legally or morally; to confine; to restrain.
Carry
To bear or uphold successfully through conflict, for example a leader or principle
Hold
(transitive) To bear, carry, or manage.
He holds himself proudly erect.
Hold your head high.
Carry
To succeed in (e.g. a contest); to succeed in; to win.
The Tories carried the election.
Hold
Not to move; to halt; to stop.
Carry
(obsolete) To get possession of by force; to capture.
Hold
(intransitive) Not to give way; not to part or become separated; to remain unbroken or unsubdued.
Carry
To contain; to comprise; have a particular aspect; to show or exhibit
Hold
To remain continent; to control an excretory bodily function.
To hold one's bladder;
To hold one's breath
Carry
(reflexive) To bear (oneself); to behave or conduct.
Hold
(heading) To maintain or keep to particular opinions, promises, actions.
Carry
To bear the charges or burden of holding or having, as stocks, merchandise, etc., from one time to another.
A merchant is carrying a large stock;
A farm carries {{a mortgage;
}} a broker carries stock for {{a customer;
}} to carry a life insurance.
Hold
(transitive) To maintain, to consider, to opine.
Carry
(intransitive) To have a weapon on one's person; to be armed.
Hold
(transitive) To bind (someone) to a consequence of his or her actions.
He was held responsible for the actions of those under his command.
I'll hold him to that promise.
Carry
(gaming) To be disproportionately responsible for a team's success.
He absolutely carried the game, to the point of killing the entire enemy team by himself.
Hold
To maintain in being or action; to carry on; to prosecute, as a course of conduct or an argument; to continue; to sustain.
Carry
(Southern US) to physically transport (in the general sense, not necessarily by lifting)
Will you carry me to town?
Hold
To accept, as an opinion; to be the adherent of, openly or privately; to persist in, as a purpose; to maintain; to sustain.
Carry
(North America) To bear a firearm, such as a gun.
A holster can help you carry in confidence, knowing that your weapon is secure and close at hand.
Hold
(archaic) To restrain oneself; to refrain; to hold back.
Carry
A manner of transporting or lifting something; the grip or position in which something is carried.
Adjust your carry from time to time so that you don't tire too quickly.
Hold
To win one's own service game.
Carry
A tract of land over which boats or goods are carried between two bodies of navigable water; a portage.
Hold
To take place, to occur.
Carry
(computing) The bit or digit that is carried in an addition operation.
Hold
To organise an event or meeting (usually in passive voice).
Elections will be held on the first Sunday of next month.
Carry
(finance) The benefit or cost of owning an asset over time.
The carry on this trade is 25 basis points per annum.
Hold
(archaic) To derive right or title.
Carry
(golf) The distance travelled by the ball when struck, until it hits the ground.
Hold
(imperative) In a food or drink order at an informal restaurant etc., requesting that a component normally included in that order be omitted.
One ham-and-cheese sandwich; hold the mustard.
A martini, please, and hold the olive.
Carry
(finance) Carried interest.
Hold
To be in possession of illicit drugs for sale.
Carry
The sky; cloud-drift.
Hold
A grasp or grip.
Keep a firm hold on the handlebars.
Carry
To convey or transport in any manner from one place to another; to bear; - often with away or off.
When he dieth he shall carry nothing away.
Devout men carried Stephen to his burial.
Another carried the intelligence to Russell.
The sound will be carried, at the least, twenty miles.
Hold
An act or instance of holding.
Can I have a hold of the baby?
Carry
To have or hold as a burden, while moving from place to place; to have upon or about one's person; to bear; as, to carry a wound; to carry an unborn child.
If the ideas . . . were carried along with us in our minds.
Hold
A place where animals are held for safety
Carry
To move; to convey by force; to impel; to conduct; to lead or guide.
Go, carry Sir John Falstaff to the Fleet.
He carried away all his cattle.
Passion and revenge will carry them too far.
Hold
An order that something is to be reserved or delayed, limiting or preventing how it can be dealt with.
Senator X placed a hold on the bill, then went to the library and placed a hold on a book.
Carry
To transfer from one place (as a country, book, or column) to another; as, to carry the war from Greece into Asia; to carry an account to the ledger; to carry a number in adding figures.
Hold
Something reserved or kept.
We have a hold here for you.
Carry
To convey by extension or continuance; to extend; as, to carry the chimney through the roof; to carry a road ten miles farther.
Hold
Power over someone or something.
Carry
To bear or uphold successfully through conflict, as a leader or principle; hence, to succeed in, as in a contest; to bring to a successful issue; to win; as, to carry an election.
The carrying of our main point.
Hold
The ability to persist.
Carry
To get possession of by force; to capture.
The town would have been carried in the end.
Hold
The property of maintaining the shape of styled hair.
Carry
To contain; to comprise; to bear the aspect of ; to show or exhibit; to imply.
He thought it carried something of argument in it.
It carries too great an imputation of ignorance.
Hold
(wrestling) A position or grip used to control the opponent.
He got him in a tight hold and pinned him to the mat.
Carry
To bear (one's self); to behave, to conduct or demean; - with the reflexive pronouns.
He carried himself so insolently in the house, and out of the house, to all persons, that he became odious.
Hold
(exercise) An exercise involving holding a position for a set time
Carry
To bear the charges or burden of holding or having, as stocks, merchandise, etc., from one time to another; as, a merchant is carrying a large stock; a farm carries a mortgage; a broker carries stock for a customer; to carry a life insurance.
Hold
(gambling) The percentage the house wins on a gamble, the house or bookmaker's hold.
The House Hold on the game is 10,000, this is the amount of decision or risk the house wishes to assume.
Carry
To act as a bearer; to convey anything; as, to fetch and carry.
Hold
(gambling) The wager amount, the total hold.
As of Monday night the total Melbourne Cup hold was $848,015
Carry
To have propulsive power; to propel; as, a gun or mortar carries well.
Hold
(tennis) An instance of holding one's service game, as opposed to being broken.
Carry
To hold the head; - said of a horse; as, to carry well i. e., to hold the head high, with arching neck.
Hold
The part of an object one is intended to grasp, or anything one can use for grasping with hands or feet.
Carry
To have earth or frost stick to the feet when running, as a hare.
Hold
A fruit machine feature allowing one or more of the reels to remain fixed while the others spin.
Carry
A tract of land, over which boats or goods are carried between two bodies of navigable water; a carrying place; a portage.
Hold
A pause facility.
Carry
The act of carrying something
Hold
The queueing system on telephones and similar communication systems which maintains a connection when all lines are busy.
Carry
Move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body;
You must carry your camping gear
Carry the suitcases to the car
This train is carrying nuclear waste
These pipes carry waste water into the river
Hold
(baseball) A statistic awarded to a relief pitcher who is not still pitching at the end of the game and who records at least one out and maintains a lead for his team.
Carry
Have with oneself; have on one's person;
She always takes an umbrella
I always carry money
She packs a gun when she goes into the mountains
Hold
(aviation) A region of airspace reserved for aircraft being kept in a holding pattern.
Carry
Transmit or serve as the medium for transmission;
Sound carries well over water
The airwaves carry the sound
Many metals conduct heat
Hold
The cargo area of a ship or aircraft (often holds or cargo hold).
We watched our luggage being loaded into the hold of the plane.
Carry
Serve as a means for expressing something;
The painting of Mary carries motherly love
His voice carried a lot af anger
Hold
(obsolete) Gracious; friendly; faithful; true.
Carry
Bear or be able to bear the weight, pressure,or responsibility of;
His efforts carried the entire project
How many credits is this student carrying?
We carry a very large mortgage
Hold
The whole interior portion of a vessel below the lower deck, in which the cargo is stowed.
Carry
Support or hold in a certain manner;
She holds her head high
He carried himself upright
Hold
The act of holding, as in or with the hands or arms; the manner of holding, whether firm or loose; seizure; grasp; clasp; grip; possession; - often used with the verbs take and lay.
Ne have I not twelve pence within mine hold.
Thou should'st lay hold upon him.
My soul took hold on thee.
Take fast hold of instruction.
Carry
Contain or hold; have within;
The jar carries wine
The canteen holds fresh water
This can contains water
Hold
The authority or ground to take or keep; claim.
The law hath yet another hold on you.
Carry
Extend to a certain degree;
Carry too far
She carries her ideas to the extreme
Hold
Binding power and influence.
Fear . . . by which God and his laws take the surest hold of.
Carry
Continue or extend;
The civil war carried into the neighboring province
The disease extended into the remote mountain provinces
Hold
Something that may be grasped; means of support.
If a man be upon an high place without rails or good hold, he is ready to fall.
Carry
Be necessarily associated with or result in or involve;
This crime carries a penalty of five years in prison
Hold
A place of confinement; a prison; confinement; custody; guard.
They . . . put them in hold unto the next day.
King Richard, he is in the mighty holdOf Bolingbroke.
Carry
Win in an election;
The senator carried his home state
Hold
A place of security; a fortified place; a fort; a castle; - often called a stronghold.
New comers in an ancient hold
Carry
Include, as on a list;
How many people are carried on the payroll?
Hold
A character [thus ] placed over or under a note or rest, and indicating that it is to be prolonged; - called also pause, and corona.
Carry
Behave in a certain manner;
She carried herself well
He bore himself with dignity
They conducted themselves well during these difficult times
Hold
To cause to remain in a given situation, position, or relation, within certain limits, or the like; to prevent from falling or escaping; to sustain; to restrain; to keep in the grasp; to retain.
The loops held one curtain to another.
Thy right hand shall hold me.
They all hold swords, being expert in war.
In vain he seeks, that having can not hold.
France, thou mayst hold a serpent by the tongue, . . . A fasting tiger safer by the tooth,Than keep in peace that hand which thou dost hold.
Carry
Have on hand;
Do you carry kerosene heaters?
Hold
To retain in one's keeping; to maintain possession of, or authority over; not to give up or relinquish; to keep; to defend.
We mean to hold what anciently we claimOf deity or empire.
Carry
Include as the content; broadcast or publicize;
We ran the ad three times
This paper carries a restaurant review
All major networks carried the press conference
Hold
To have; to possess; to be in possession of; to occupy; to derive title to; as, to hold office.
This noble merchant held a noble house.
Of him to hold his seigniory for a yearly tribute.
And now the strand, and now the plain, they held.
Carry
Propel,
Carry the ball
Dribble the ball
Hold
To impose restraint upon; to limit in motion or action; to bind legally or morally; to confine; to restrain.
We can not hold mortality's strong hand.
Death! what do'st? O, hold thy blow.
He had not sufficient judgment and self-command to hold his tongue.
Carry
Pass on a communication;
The news was carried to every village in the province
Hold
To maintain in being or action; to carry on; to prosecute, as a course of conduct or an argument; to continue; to sustain.
Hold not thy peace, and be not still.
Seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost,Shall hold their course.
Carry
Have as an inherent or characteristic feature or have as a consequence;
This new washer carries a two year guarantee
The loan carries a high interest rate
This undertaking carries many dangers
She carries her mother's genes
These bonds carry warrants
The restaurant carries an unusual name
Hold
To prosecute, have, take, or join in, as something which is the result of united action; as to, hold a meeting, a festival, a session, etc.; hence, to direct and bring about officially; to conduct or preside at; as, the general held a council of war; a judge holds a court; a clergyman holds a service.
I would hold more talk with thee.
Carry
Be conveyed over a certain distance;
Her voice carries very well in this big opera house
Hold
To receive and retain; to contain as a vessel; as, this pail holds milk; hence, to be able to receive and retain; to have capacity or containing power for.
Broken cisterns that can hold no water.
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold.
Carry
Keep up with financial support;
The Federal Government carried the province for many years
Hold
To accept, as an opinion; to be the adherent of, openly or privately; to persist in, as a purpose; to maintain; to sustain.
Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.
But still he held his purpose to depart.
Carry
Have or possess something abstract;
I carry her image in my mind's eye
I will carry the secret to my grave
I carry these thoughts in the back of my head
I carry a lot of life insurance
Hold
To consider; to regard; to esteem; to account; to think; to judge.
I hold him but a fool.
I shall never hold that man my friend.
The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Carry
Win approval or support for;
Carry all before one
His speech did not sway the voters
Hold
To bear, carry, or manage; as he holds himself erect; he holds his head high.
Let him hold his fingers thus.
O, fie! to receive favors, return falsehoods,And hold a lady in hand.
Carry
Compensate for a weaker partner or member by one's own performance;
I resent having to carry her all the time
Hold
In general, to keep one's self in a given position or condition; to remain fixed. Hence:
Carry
Take further or advance;
Carry a cause
Hold
Not to move; to halt; to stop; - mostly in the imperative.
And damned be him that first cries, "Hold, enough!"
Carry
Have on the surface or on the skin;
Carry scars
Hold
Not to give way; not to part or become separated; to remain unbroken or unsubdued.
Our force by land hath nobly held.
Carry
Capture after a fight;
The troops carried the town after a brief fight
Hold
Not to fail or be found wanting; to continue; to last; to endure a test or trial; to abide; to persist.
While our obedience holds.
The rule holds in land as all other commodities.
Carry
Transfer (entries) from one account book to another
Hold
Not to fall away, desert, or prove recreant; to remain attached; to cleave; - often with with, to, or for.
He will hold to the one and despise the other.
Carry
Transfer (a number, cipher, or remainder) to the next column or unit's place before or after, in addition or multiplication;
Put down 5 and carry 2
Hold
To restrain one's self; to refrain.
His dauntless heart would fain have heldFrom weeping, but his eyes rebelled.
Carry
Pursue a line of scent or be a bearer;
The dog was taught to fetch and carry
Hold
To derive right or title; - generally with of.
My crown is absolute, and holds of none.
His imagination holds immediately from nature.
Carry
Bear (a crop);
This land does not carry olives
Hold
The act of grasping;
He released his clasp on my arm
He has a strong grip for an old man
She kept a firm hold on the railing
Carry
Propel or give impetus to;
The sudden gust of air propelled the ball to the other side of the fence
Hold
Understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something;
He has a good grasp of accounting practices
Carry
Drink alcohol without showing ill effects;
He can hold his liquor
He had drunk more than he could carry
Hold
Power by which something or someone is affected or dominated;
He has a hold over them
Carry
Be able to feed;
This land will carry ten cows to the acre
Hold
Time during which some action is awaited;
Instant replay caused too long a delay
He ordered a hold in the action
Carry
Have a certain range;
This rifle carries for 3,000 feet
Hold
A state of being confined (usually for a short time);
His detention was politically motivated
The prisoner is on hold
He is in the custody of police
Carry
Cover a certain distance or advance beyond;
The drive carried to the green
Hold
A stronghold
Carry
Secure the passage or adoption (of bills and motions);
The motion carried easily
Hold
A cell in a jail or prison
Carry
Be successful in;
She lost the game but carried the match
Hold
The appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it;
He grabbed the hammer by the handle
It was an old briefcase but it still had a good grip
Carry
Sing or play against other voices or parts;
He cannot carry a tune
Hold
The space in a ship or aircraft for storing cargo
Carry
Be pregnant with;
She is bearing his child
The are expecting another child in January
I am carrying his child
Hold
Organize or be responsible for;
Hold a reception
Have, throw, or make a party
Give a course
Hold
Keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g.,
Keep clean
Hold in place
She always held herself as a lady
The students keep me on my toes
Hold
Have or hold in one's hands or grip;
Hold this bowl for a moment, please
A crazy idea took hold of him
Hold
To close within bounds, limit or hold back from movement;
This holds the local until the express passengers change trains
About a dozen animals were held inside the stockade
The illegal immigrants were held at a detention center
The terrorists held the journalists for ransom
Hold
Have rightfully; of rights, titles, and offices;
She bears the title of Duchess
He held the governorship for almost a decade
Hold
Have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense;
She has $1,000 in the bank
He has got two beautiful daughters
She holds a Master's degree from Harvard
Hold
Keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view;
Take for granted
View as important
Hold these truths to be self-evident
I hold him personally responsible
Hold
Contain or hold; have within;
The jar carries wine
The canteen holds fresh water
This can contains water
Hold
Lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits;
Moderate your alcohol intake
Hold your tongue
Hold your temper
Control your anger
Hold
Remain in a certain state, position, or condition;
The weather held
They held on the road and kept marching
Hold
Maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings);
Bear a grudge
Entertain interesting notions
Harbor a resentment
Hold
Assert or affirm;
Rousseau's philosophy holds that people are inherently good
Hold
Remain committed to;
I hold to these ideas
Hold
Secure and keep for possible future use or application;
The landlord retained the security deposit
I reserve the right to disagree
Hold
Be the physical support of; carry the weight of;
The beam holds up the roof
He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam
What's holding that mirror?
Hold
Hold the attention of;
The soprano held the audience
This story held our interest
She can hold an audience spellbound
Hold
Keep from exhaling or expelling;
Hold your breath
Hold
Support or hold in a certain manner;
She holds her head high
He carried himself upright
Hold
Have room for; hold without crowding;
This hotel can accommodate 250 guests
The theater admits 300 people
The auditorium can't hold more than 500 people
Hold
Be capable of holding or containing;
This box won't take all the items
The flask holds one gallon
Hold
Be valid, applicable, or true;
This theory still holds
Hold
Take and maintain control over, often by violent means;
The dissatisfied students held the President's office for almost a week
Hold
Protect against a challenge or attack;
Hold that position behind the trees!
Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks
Hold
Declare to be;
She was declared incompetent
Judge held that the defendant was innocent
Hold
Have as a major characteristic;
The novel holds many surprises
The book holds in store much valuable advise
Hold
Cause to stop;
Halt the engines
Arrest the progress
Halt the presses
Hold
Bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted;
He's held by a contract
I'll hold you by your promise
Hold
Cover as for protection against noise or smell;
She held her ears when the jackhammer started to operate
Hold one's nose
Hold
Drink alcohol without showing ill effects;
He can hold his liquor
He had drunk more than he could carry
Hold
Be pertinent or relevant or applicable;
The same laws apply to you!
This theory holds for all irrational numbers
The same rules go for everyone
Hold
Arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance;
Reserve me a seat on a flight
The agent booked tickets to the show for the whole family
Please hold a table at Maxim's
Hold
Resist or confront with resistance;
The politician defied public opinion
The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear
The bridge held
Hold
Keep from departing;
Hold the taxi
Hold the horse
Hold
Stop dealing with;
Hold all calls to the President's office while he is in a meeting
Hold
Aim, point, or direct;
Hold the fire extinguisher directly on the flames
Hold
Be in accord; be in agreement;
We agreed on the terms of the settlement
I can't agree with you!
I hold with those who say life is sacred
Both philosophers concord on this point
Common Curiosities
What does it mean to carry something?
To carry involves transporting or moving an object from one location to another.
Can you use hold and carry interchangeably?
No, hold is generally stationary, while carry implies movement.
What does it mean to hold something?
To hold means to keep an object in a fixed position or in one's grasp.
What are examples of situations where you hold rather than carry?
Holding a position in a queue or holding someone's hand.
Is hold used in technical contexts?
Yes, especially in mechanics and electronics (e.g., hold a circuit).
What are examples of situations where you carry rather than hold?
Carrying groceries home or carrying a child across a park.
What physical attributes are needed to carry something?
Strength, balance, and endurance.
Is carrying more demanding than holding?
Generally, yes, because it involves movement and potentially greater distances.
How do the concepts of hold and carry apply in a business context?
In business, hold can refer to maintaining a stock position, while carry can refer to the transport of goods.
How can both terms be used figuratively?
Hold can mean to maintain a belief, while carry can mean to bear a metaphorical burden.
What is easier, to hold or to carry an object?
It depends on the object's size and weight, but generally, holding is less physically demanding than carrying.
What physical attributes are needed to hold something?
Endurance and grip strength.
What does "carry on" mean?
It means to continue or proceed, often despite difficulties.
What does "hold onto" mean?
It implies keeping a firm grip or maintaining possession of something.
Is carry used in sports?
Yes, in sports like football, where it means to advance with the ball.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
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Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
