offhold

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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English ofholden, from Old English ofhealdan (to withhold, retain), equivalent to off- +‎ hold. Cognate with Dutch afhouden (to detain, deter), German abhalten (to discourage, prevent, deter).

Verb

offhold (third-person singular simple present offholds, present participle offholding, simple past offheld, past participle offheld or offholden)

  1. (transitive, archaic) To retain.
  2. (intransitive) To hold off; prevent; refrain; avoid; shun.
    • 1950, Washington Institute of Medicine, General practice clinics:
      A scleral rim should be maintained in contact lenses to off-hold and balance the corneal portion from the cornea, preventing exertion of any pressure.
    • 1968, Titus Maccius Plautus, Paul Nixon, Plautus:
      No, Love, you must be shunned by every means, offheld and offstood afar, for the man that has fallen headlong into love comes o greater grief than if he cast himself off a cliff.
    • 2009, A.J.J. Mekking, Eric Roose, The global built environment as a representation of realities:
      The mighty foundation of massive natural stone, in the Mediterranean realm, in India as well as in Middle- and South America, almost always represents the world of the toiling earthlings who have to off-hold the demons of depth as well as to support their god-miming oppressors.

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