hold the line

verb

1. hold the line on prices; keep the price of something constant

• Hypernyms: ↑conserve, ↑preserve, ↑maintain, ↑keep up

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s on something

2. hold the phone line open

-

Please hang on while I get your folder

• Syn: ↑hang on, ↑hold on

• Topics: ↑telephone, ↑telephony

• Hypernyms: ↑expect, ↑look, ↑await, ↑wait

• Entailment: ↑call, ↑telephone, ↑call up, ↑phone, ↑ring

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s

* * *

phrasal

: to keep things as they are without undesirable alteration

holding the line on the price of electrical appliances despite increased costs

hold the line on present taxes

* * *

hold the line

1. See ↑hold (vi) above

2. To persist or maintain one's position while under pressure

• • •

Main Entry: ↑hold

————————

hold the line see under ↑hold¹

• • •

Main Entry: ↑line

* * *

not yield to the pressure of a difficult situation

France's central bank would hold the line

* * *

hold the line — see ↑line, 1

• • •

Main Entry: ↑hold

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hold the line

: to not allow any more changes or increases

— usually + against or on

We need to hold the line against further expansion into our territory.

The President has vowed to hold the line on tax increases. [=to not allow further tax increases]

see also ↑line 7 (above), 1

• • •

Main Entry: ↑line