Meaning & use
holding
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablebusinessfinance
something that you own, especially shares or property
Grammar: Often used in the plural for several things owned: 'his holdings in the company'.
Patterns
- a holding in something
- large holdings
- foreign holdings
She has large holdings in several technology companies.
The family's land holdings stretch across the valley.
He sold his holdings in the bank last year.
nouncountable or uncountable
the act of holding something or someone
Grammar: Usually singular when it means the act: 'the holding of the event'.
Patterns
- the holding of something
- holding area
- holding cell
The holding of the election was delayed by a week.
The prisoners were kept in a holding cell overnight.
The holding of the meeting took longer than expected.
nouncountable or uncountablesport
in sports, the illegal act of blocking an opponent with your hands
Grammar: Used mostly in American football and basketball; often called as a penalty.
Patterns
- called for holding
- a holding penalty
The team was penalized for holding.
The referee called holding on the left side of the line.
adjectivebefore a noun
used for a place where people or things are kept until they can be dealt with
Grammar: Always used before a noun: 'a holding area', 'a holding pen'.
Patterns
- holding area
- holding pen
- holding pattern
Passengers waited in the holding area before boarding.
The plane circled in a holding pattern for twenty minutes.
The animals were kept in a holding pen near the market.
Word forms
| plural | holdings |
|---|
Common combinations
- large holdings
- The company has large holdings in real estate.
- holding company
- A holding company owns shares in other companies but does not make products itself.
- holding area
- We waited in the holding area until our name was called.
- holding pattern
- The plane stayed in a holding pattern because of bad weather.
- land holdings
- His land holdings include three farms.
Synonyms and how they differ
- assets
- Assets is a general business word for everything you own; holdings often refers to shares or investments.
- property
- Property means things you own, especially land or buildings; holdings can be any kind of investment.
- possession
- Possession is often used for personal things you own; holdings is more formal and financial.
Word family
Commonly confused: holding or holding (verb form)?
holding vs holding (verb form)
Holding is also the -ing form of 'hold': 'She is holding a baby.' As a noun it means something owned or the act of holding.
Practice
The investor sold all his ______ in the oil company.
Choose one answer.
The plural 'holdings' is correct because he sold more than one investment. 'Holding' singular would mean just one, and the verb forms 'holds' and 'held' do not fit after 'his'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “holding”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.