withhold

• with-hold (obsolete)

From Middle English withholden. Equivalent to with- +‎ hold.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /wɪθˈhəʊld/, /wɪðˈhəʊld/
• (US) IPA^(key): /wɪθˈhoʊld/, /wɪðˈhoʊld/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (AU)

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• Rhymes: -əʊld

withhold (third-person singular simple present withholds, present participle withholding, simple past withheld, past participle withheld or (rare, archaic) withholden)

1. (transitive) To keep (a physical object that one has obtained) to oneself rather than giving it back to its owner.

   The bank withheld her credit card.

2. (transitive) To keep (information, assent etc) to oneself rather than revealing it.

   withhold vital information

   a withheld phone number

3. (intransitive) To stay back, to refrain.

   I’ll withhold from asking about it.

   • 1971 October 26, William J. Randall, Hearings Before the Special Committee on the Utilization of Manpower in the Military […] House of Representatives, Ninety-Second Congress, First and Second Sessions, published 1972, page 12759:

     Do you wish to proceed with those down the line in that order? […] We’ll withhold for now.

   • 2015 February 25, “My day at Malorie Blackman's book launch”, in The Guardian:

     On the assumption that a vast majority of readers also enjoy writing, I could not withhold from asking the expert for some advice.

   • 2022 January 10, Brittany Misencik, “Pensacola seafood markets face no-win choice amid pandemic: Raise prices or cut stock”, in Pensacola News Journal:

     Maria Goldberg, marketing director for Great Southern Restaurants, said The Fish House in Pensacola, so far, has been able to withhold from raising menu prices.

• (keep (a physical object) to oneself): retain

• overwithhold
• underwithhold

withhold (plural withholds)

1. (Scientology) An immoral action or condition (an overt) that has not been disclosed to others; the consciousness of such an action or condition.
   • 1972, Robert Kaufman, Inside Scientology: How I Joined Scientology and Became Superhuman, →ISBN, page 150:

     I was afraid to go into review for the help I needed because of the withholds I had against the organization, withholds acquired at the franchise: our late evening discussions, our kidding around at the expense of other Scientologists.

   • 1976, Nathaniel Lande, Mindstyles, Lifestyles, →ISBN, page 133:

     Dianetics is concerned with purifying the individual of negative emotions, evil spirits, overts, and withholds.

   • 2022, Mike Rinder, A Billion Years: My Escape from a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology, →ISBN, pages 138–9:

     The scientology theory is that marriages fail because one or both partners have undisclosed withholds, and when they confess these to their spouse their desire to end the relationship is dissipated and the marriage is saved.

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