Origin and history of hold

"keep fast or close," as in the grasp of the hand; "control or prevent the movement of" by grasping or constraint; Middle English holden, earlier halden, from Old English haldan (Anglian), healdan (West Saxon), "to contain; to grasp; to retain" (liquid, etc.); also "observe, fulfill (a custom, etc.); have as one's own; have in mind," of opinions, etc.; also "possess, control, rule; detain, lock up; to foster, cherish, keep watch over; continue in existence or action; keep back from action."

It was a class VII strong verb (past tense heold, past participle healden), from Proto-Germanic *haldanan (source also of Old Saxon haldan, Old Frisian halda, Old Norse halda, Dutch houden, German halten "to hold," Gothic haldan "to tend").

Based on the Gothic sense (also a secondary meaning in Old English), the Germanic verb is "generally accepted" [OED 1989] to have meant originally "to keep, tend, watch over" (as grazing cattle) and later expanded in the direction of "have as one's own."

The ancestral sense would be preserved in behold. The original past participle holden was replaced by held from 16c. but survives in some legal jargon and in beholden.

The commercial sense of "not sell" (certain goods or products) is by 1875, American English; that of "keep back, delay" (payment, etc.) is by 1891. The modern use of the verb in the sense of "lock up, keep in custody" is attested by 1868.

To hold back in the figurative senses is attested from 1530s, transitive, "restrain;" and by 1570s, intransitive, "retain."

To hold down (transitive) "keep in subjugation" is by 1530s; the sense of "remain in" a position, "continue to occupy" is by 1886, U.S. colloquial.

To hold off "keep aloof, keep at a distance" is attested by early 15c. (transitive), also "to delay." The intransitive sense of "keep (oneself) at a distance or away" is by c. 1600.

To hold forth "speak in public, preach" is by 1660s, from Philippians ii.16, from the earlier meaning "proffer, set forth" (1550s). Earlier it meant "keep up, maintain; go forth" (Middle English). 

To hold on is attested by early 13c. as "maintain one's course of action, continue, keep up;" by 1830 as "cling, keep one's grip (on something)." It is attested by 1839 as "wait! stop!" and in that sense was criticized at the time as a "very vulgar" Americanism.

To hold (one's) tongue "be silent, keep one's tongue still" is from late 13c.; hold (one's) peace in the same sense is by c. 1300. To hold one's nose to avoid a bad smell is by c.1200 (heold nease). To hold (one's) own "keep one's present condition or advantage" is by early 14c.

To hold (one's) horses figuratively as "be patient" is by 1840, American English (early use seems to cluster in New Orleans); the notion is of keeping a tight grip on the reins.

To hold (someone's) hand in the figurative sense of "give comfort or moral support" is by 1935. To hold water in the figurative sense of "be consistent, valid or sound throughout" is by 1620s, perhaps 1530s.

To have and to hold have been paired alliteratively at least since c. 1200, originally in reference to marriage but also of real estate.

c. 1100, "act of holding;" c. 1200, "grip, something which may be grasped for support," from Old English geheald (Anglian gehald) "keeping, custody, guard; watch, protector, guardian," from hold (v.).

The meaning "place of refuge or security" is attested from c. 1200; that of "fortified place" is from c. 1300; that of "place of imprisonment" is from late 14c.

The wrestling sense is from 1713; hence no holds barred "with all restrictions removed," 1892, originally in wrestling.

The telephoning sense, in reference to a condition or device that keeps calls open but not directly connected, is attested by 1952 (hold button). Hence on hold (by 1961), etc. The expression hold the line, warning that one is away from the receiver, is attested by 1912; hold on "keep the line open" is attested by 1892.

The meaning "a delay, a pause" is by 1958 in the U.S. space program in reference to pauses in countdowns.

"interior of a ship below the deck or lower deck, in which stores and cargo are stowed," a 15c. corruption of Middle English holl "hull of a ship, hold of a ship" (c.1400), which is probably from earlier Middle English nouns meaning either "hole, hollow place, compartment" (see hole (n.)) and "husk, pod, shell," (see hull (n.1)). With form altered in the direction of hold (probably by popular apprehension that it is named because it "holds" the cargo) and sense influenced by Middle Dutch hol "hold of a ship."