take hold

idiomatic phrase

1

: to grasp, grip, or seize something

took hold and hung on tight

—often used with of

take hold of the railing

… she took hold of his arm with both her hands, and looked up eagerly—oh, with such terrible eagerness!—into his face.

—Anthony Trollope

—often used figuratively

As word of the subpoenas spread … confusion and hysteria took hold of the social set …

—Bob Colacello

I did not want Merlin to retire from the job until I was ready to take hold of it effectively myself …

—Mark Twain

2

: to become effective, established, or popular

The change in the law has not yet taken hold.

… a swath of land that has been spared from lava flows long enough that rich vegetation has had a chance to take hold.

—G. Brad Lewis

… here in central California the French aesthetic has recently taken hold.

—Rebecca Coffey

Examples of take hold in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The idea took hold during the Covid shutdown, when all the ingredients at the bar Ketumarn was managing would otherwise have gone to waste. —Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 2 Nov. 2024

There was more buzz than usual around the Edinburgh Fringe this year as the Baby Reindeer effect took hold and Netflix may have just landed on the next play-to-TV hit. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2024

While waiting for systemic changes to take hold, those of us who are able can begin investing now in women-founded and women-led nonprofits and social enterprises. —Brigit Helms, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

Palm reading became popular in the United States, particularly in the nineteenth century, as a general vogue for séance, mediumship, spirit photographs, and the occult took hold. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1