hold back ( holding, held, holds )

• 1. 

  PHRASAL VERB If you hold back or if something holds you back, you hesitate before you do something because you are not sure whether it is the right thing to do. (使) 犹豫

  例：

  The Bush administration had several reasons for holding back.

  布什政府的犹豫不决有几个原因。

• 2. 

  PHRASAL VERB To hold someone or something back means to prevent someone from doing something, or to prevent something from happening. 阻止

  例：

  Stagnation in home sales is holding back economic recovery.

  住房销售的停滞正阻碍着经济的复苏。

• 3. 

  PHRASAL VERB If you hold something back, you keep it in reserve to use later. 储存

  例：

  Farmers apparently hold back produce in the hope that prices will rise.

  农场主们囤积农产品显然是希望价格会上涨。

• 4. 

  PHRASAL VERB If you hold something back, you do not include it in the information you are giving about something. 隐瞒

  例：

  You seem to be holding something back.

  你好像在隐瞒什么。

• 5. 

  PHRASAL VERB If you hold back something such as tears or laughter, or if you hold back, you make an effort to stop yourself from showing how you feel. 克制住 (泪水或笑声等)

  例：

  She kept trying to hold back her tears.

  她一直在试图忍住不掉眼泪。

• 6. 

  PHRASAL VERB If a teacher holds a student back, they keep them in the same grade instead of promoting them to a higher grade, because their work is not good enough. 使…留级

  例：

  16 percent of eighth-graders were held back for poor performance.

  16%的8年级学生因为成绩差而被留级。