hold, v.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

hold v.¹

(US drugs)

1. to be in possession of money, usu. large sums; often as holding.

1870		M. Cash Life and Adventures 59: As Stephens heard that ‘he held it’ (a slang phrase implying possession of money) and he would not ‘tip up,’ he resolved to take it out of him another way.
1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.
1915		T.A. Dorgan Indoor Sports 16 Feb. [synd. cartoon] He [sic] so good at holding that he could swim across the Hudson with an armfull of eels and never lose one.
1924		G.H. Lawson Dict. of Aus. Words And Terms 🌐 HOLDIN’—Possessing money.
1933		A.E. Strong in Partridge Sl. Today and Yesterday 288: A. I’m stiff. C. How are you holding, D? D. All right.
1949		L. Glassop Lucky Palmer 150: Once before, when he was ‘holding well,’ as he expressed it, ‘Big Jim’ Shendon [...] had made the mistake of telling him what a big man he was.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 99/1: Holding. (Limited to ‘what are you holding?’ and the response, ‘I’m holding. . . .’) 1. To have money in one’s possession. [...] 2. (P) To have in one’s possession contraband cash, cigarettes, tobacco, or other medium of exchange.
1965		S. Selvon Housing Lark 135: ‘One hundred and twenty pounds, eight shillings and fivepence ha’penny.’ [...] Nobby whistle and dig Alfy. ‘We holding big, boy!’.
1968		T. Wolfe Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (1969) 239: ‘How you holding?’ How you holding— ‘I mean, like, you know [...] I didn’t charge Kesey nothing to use this place, like free, you know?’.
1979		‘Iceberg Slim’ Airtight Willie and Me 11: She was holding enough bread to burn up a herd of wet cattle.
1988		(con. 1930s) C.E. Lincoln The Avenue, Clayton City (1996) 8: Hey, Red, let me hold something. Lay a quarter on me.
2001		J. Stahl Plainclothes Naked (2002) 59: How much you say she’s holding?

2. for a supply of drugs to suffice an addict for a given period of time.

1938		D. Maurer ‘Lang. of the Und. Narcotic Addict’ Pt 2 in Lang. Und. (1981).
1966		J. Mills Panic in Needle Park (1971) 34: Then a little while ago I had some GB’s, to hold me till I can do somethin’ to get more stuff.

3. to be in possession of drugs, esp. for selling; thus n. holder.

1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks n.p.: Are you holding? Have you any dope to sell?
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1956		E. Hunter Second Ending 266: Hey, are you holding? [...] You got any junk?
1963		J. Rechy City of Night 113: I don really dig this stuff, man — too much of a hassle to hold any.
1972		C. Bukowski Erections, Ejaculations etc. 263: Arthur’s holding a lot of shit. Let’s go [...] and smoke some shit.
1981		H. Gould Fort Apache, The Bronx 184: Because when everything cools down, my man’s gonna be the only dude who’s holdin’.
1994		Rebennack & Rummel Under A Hoodoo Moon 204: ‘Well, what are you holding?’ He broke out this bottle of stuff and fixed me up.
1998		Source Oct. 168: Cookin’, packagin’, holdin’ or using any of the above.
2001		D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 88/2: hold v. to be in possession of drugs or other contraband.
2004		D. Glenn Almost a Proverb 53: ‘You holding man?’ ‘Talk to me after chow.’.
2015		P. Doyle (con. 1969-1973) Big Whatever 18: He wasn’t holding now [...] but something might be on a little later.
2019		N. Walker Cherry 254: I asked Black if he still wanted to buy a QP. I said I was still holding one for him if he wanted it.
2021		Central Cee ‘Dun Deal’ 🎵 TB on the phone to the holder, patternin' up 'cause the dough just dropped.

4. (US black) to borrow; to obtain drugs on credit.

1970		B. Seale Seize the Time 34: I could [...] say, man, loan me a dollar, and he’d let me hold a dollar.
2019		N. Walker Cherry 3: ‘Let me hold another gram’.

5. (UK black) to take, to steal.

1985		T.R. Houser Central Sl. 28: hold, to [...] To thieve. To commit robbery. ‘Let me hold that radio.’.
1999		(con. 1979–80) A. Wheatle Brixton Rock (2004) 17: Brenton declined the offer of a lift, saying he preferred to ‘hol’ a bus’. [Ibid.] 100: I’m going to kuff the window, hol’ the goods and chip to a brethren’s house.

6. (US Und.) to be armed.

1971–2		C. Shafer ‘Catheads [...] and Cho-Cho Sticks’ in Abernethy Bounty of Texas (1990) 206: hold, v. – to carry a gun: to hold a gun.
1981		H. Gould Fort Apache, The Bronx 118: You know the prick’s holdin’.
1994		G. Pelecanos Shoedog 163: ‘What else you holdin’?’ Valdez said. ‘My nine,’ Gorman said.
2007		W.D. Myers ‘the man thing’ in What They Found 126: ‘Look, Pedro, you got any heat I can borrow?’ ‘Look, homey, I don't want you holding my piece because I don't think you're ready to go down that road’.
2020		G. Krauze What They Was 37: You can tell who’s holding coz they’ll have at least one glove on .
2022		J. Hannaham Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit 24: ‘There almost wasn’t really no other type of person but one who was holding’.

7. in non-drug, uses, to be in possession of anything.

1977		C. McFadden Serial 62: I’m not holding, okay? No grapes.
1994		Rebennack & Rummel Under A Hoodoo Moon 32: I told my parents the stuff wasn’t mine, that I was just holding for friends.

In phrases

do you hold?

(Aus.) a phr. indicating that it is someone’s turn to buy the drinks.

1885

Bulletin (Sydney) 11 Jul. 12/1: An Australian indulges in no such foolishness. If he meets an old friend, his greeting is either ‘Give it a name!’ or ‘Do you hold it?’ according to circumstances. There is no preliminary beating about the bush with him.

hold heavy (v.) [heavy adv. (3)]

to have a good deal of money .

1933		Ersine Und. and Prison Sl. 44: holding heavy. Having much money.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 99/1: Hold heavy. To be well supplied with ready cash.
1972		‘Soulful Spider’ ‘Pimp in a Clothing Store’ in Milner & Milner (1972) 287: I’m holding, heavy, freeze, just bring them on down.
1981		J. Ellroy Brown’s Requiem 21: I may not look like no millionaire, but I’m holding heavy.

hold light (v.)

to have only a little money, to be out of pocket.

1965

J. Thompson Texas by the Tail (1994) 54: I’m holding light, Frank [...] I need to hit.

SE in slang uses

In compounds

hold-door trade (n.) [whores standing around brothel doorways in the hope of attracting passing trade]

the world of prostitution.

c.1602

Shakespeare Troilus and Cressida V x: Brethren and sisters of the hold-door trade.

In phrases

hold... (v.)

see also under relevant n.

hold a fresh (v.)

(W.I.) to take a shower.

1995

Francis-Jackson Official Dancehall Dict. 25: Hol’ a fresh go take a shower: a. bwoy, go hol’ a fresh.

hold a tangi (v.) [Maori tangi, a formal lamentation, a dirge]

(N.Z.) to analyse, to hold a ‘post mortem’, to have a feast or party.

1941		Baker N.Z. Sl.
1946		P.L. Soljak N.Z. 116: New Zealand colloquialisms which are of Maori origin include: [...] hold a tangi over: to hold a feast, party of meeting.

hold court (in the street(s)) (v.)

see under street, the n.

hold foot (v.)

(Ulster) to sustain, fig. to keep up with.

1996

C.I. Macafee Concise Ulster Dict.

hold onto the slack (v.)

see under slack n.¹

hold out

see separate entries.

hold over someone (v.)

(US) to have an advantage over someone.

1872		‘Mark Twain’ Innocents at Home 332: You ruther hold over me, pard. I reckon I can’t call that hand.
1889		K. Munroe Golden Days of ’49 127: Do we hold over Bowers?

hold still for (v.)

see stand still for under stand v.²

hold the bag (v.)

see separate entry.

hold up

see separate entries.

In exclamations

hold it!

see separate entry.

hold tight! [orig. a bus- or tram-driver’s shout]

1. stop! don’t move!

1950s		Oh Boy! No. 8 12: Hold tight!
1965		E. Bond Saved Scene ii: ’Old tight, darlin’.
1968		‘Sl. of Watts’ in Current Sl. III:2.

2. (W.I.) calm down!

1965		H. Rhodes Chosen Few (1966) 65: Hold tight, Blue.
1995		Francis-Jackson Official Dancehall Dict. 24: (H)ol’ tight be cool; stay cool: u. hol’ tight, mi brethren.

hold your kitties!

be patient! remain calm!

2001

‘Road Test: 2000 BMW 328Ci’ Edmunds.com 🌐 When I bite into a York Peppermint Patty, I get the sensation of cool, frosty air tousling my hair as I race through the serpentine roadways of the Black Forests of Bavaria...hey, hold your kitties there, Jimmy; I don’t have a York Peppermint Patty! Will a BMW 328Ci suffice?

hold your mouth!

see under mouth n.

hold your whiz!

see under whiz n.¹

hold v.1

In phrases

SE in slang uses

In compounds

In phrases

In exclamations

hold v.¹