hold on
hoʊld ɑːn
Fingers that don't open — hold on
The picture Fingers closed on something stay closed, right where they are. Let go opens the fingers; hold on is those same fingers refusing to open.
Where the picture shows up in hold on
-
holding a person for a second
Hold on, I'll check the price.
hoʊld ɑːn aɪl tʃek ðə praɪs
One second — let me check the price.
A hand lightly catches a leaving customer's arm while the other digs for the price tag
-
gripping the rail tight
Hold on tight — the road is rough.
hoʊld ɑːn taɪt ðə roʊd ɪz rʌf
Grab tight — the road is rough.
In a lurching van, the knuckles on the grab handle go white
-
keeping hold of the phone line
Can you hold on? I'll put you through.
kæn juː hoʊld ɑːn aɪl pʊt juː θruː
Could you stay on the line? I'll transfer you.
The receiver stays pressed to the ear while the other hand works the buttons
The set phrase on the telephone.
-
keeping the grip to the end
She held on until help arrived.
ʃi held ɑːn ənˈtɪl help əˈraɪvd
She hung on until help came.
Both hands clamped on a flooded branch, not letting go until the boat arrives
-
keeping something instead of binning it
Hold on to your receipt.
hoʊld ɑːn tə jɔːr rɪˈsiːt
Keep your receipt somewhere safe.
The receipt isn't crumpled up but tucked into the inner flap of a wallet
With to, the thing being held comes after it.
All of it in one picture
Hold on is one picture: a grip that is not released. Hold a person and you are saying 'just a second'; hold a rail and you are saying 'grab tight'; hold the phone line and you are asked not to hang up. Keep the grip to the very end and you are enduring; keep hold of a receipt and you are told not to throw it away. The unopened hand sits at the center of every use.