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hold on to

[/hoʊld ɑːn tu/]
phrasal verb
agarrar-se a; manter; reter
1. to grip or grasp something firmly with your hands
Hold on to the railing as you go down the stairs.
Agarre-se ao corrimão enquanto desce as escadas.
2. to keep possession of something; not to let go of or give up
She decided to hold on to her old photographs.
Ela decidiu manter suas fotografias antigas.
3. to maintain a belief, idea, or position despite difficulty
He held on to hope even in difficult times.
Ele manteve a esperança mesmo em tempos difíceis.
4. to wait or remain patient
Hold on to the line and someone will assist you shortly.
Aguarde na linha e alguém o atenderá em breve.
NYC Slang
hold tight; hang on
Synonyms
gripclutchgraspkeepmaintainretainpreservecling to
Antonyms
let goreleaserelinquishabandondrop

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
agarrar-se a; manter
most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
agarrar; segurar
colloquial form more frequently used
São Paulo
segurar; manter
standard usage
Portugal
agarrar-se a; manter-se agarrado a
formal and colloquial variants used

Related Idioms & Phrases

hold on to your hat
hold on to dear life
hold on to hope
hold on to sanity
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