hold-down

1 of 2

noun

ˈhōl(d)-ˌdau̇n 

1

: something used to fasten an object in place

2

a

: an act of holding down

b

: limit

agreed to wage-rate hold-downs

hold down

2 of 2

verb

held down; holding down; holds down

transitive verb

1

: to keep within limits

hold the noise down

2

: to assume or have responsibility for

holding down two jobs

Synonyms

Verb

• cap
• circumscribe
• confine
• limit
• restrict

Examples of hold-down in a Sentence

Verb

efforts to hold down taxes keep running up against the legislature's ingrained unwillingness to cut spending

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Then, 12 hold-down bolts fired and freed the Delta IV Heavy for its climb into space with a top-secret payload for the US government's spy satellite agency. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 9 Apr. 2024

SpaceX tested the water deluge system several times since April, including on a pair of hold-down engine tests with the Super Heavy booster in August. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 18 Nov. 2023

Verb

America’s employers added just 12,000 jobs in October, a total that economists say was held down by the effects of strikes and hurricanes that left many workers temporarily off payrolls. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2024

Pretrial release allows people to hold down jobs and care for their families instead of awaiting trial in jail. —Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1