Withhold

v. Forms and etym.: see WITH- and HOLD v.; 3–7 occas. as two words, 6–8 freq. with hyphen; also 3 wiðealden, 4 withald, 5–6 -alde, 5–8 withold; pa. t. 3 wiðeld, 5 without, 6 pseudo-arch. with hault; pa. pple. 4–5 witholde, 5–8 witholden (withholden was still freq. in the 19th century).

  1.  trans. To keep from doing something; to keep in check or under restraint; to hold back, restrain.

  Formerly also const. inf. = from doing a thing.

c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 107. Alle unwilles ðe cumeð of ðe manne, ðies hes atempreð, & wiðhalt te misdon. Ibid., 143. Godd … wiðeld alle reines þrie hier & six moneþes.

c. 1290.  Beket, 1254, in S. Eng. Leg., 142. The teres fullen out of is eiȝene, he ne miȝte with-holden heom nouȝt.

13[?].  E. E. Allit. P., B. 740. I schal … wyth-halde my honde for hortyng on lede.

1379.  Glouc. Cath. MS. 19. No. I., I. iv. lf. 11 b. It … letteth & withholdeth the colre froo his kind decoccion.

1390.  Gower, Conf., II. 240. Jason … Ne mihte noght withholde his lok, Bot so good hiede on hire he tok, That [etc.]. Ibid., 284. To be withholde ayein largesse.

c. 1400.  trans. Secr. Secr., Gov. Lordsh., 113. Y withdrew me, & ouercome my self, for to withholde my couetyse.

1535.  Coverdale, Job xvii. 4. Thou hast with holden their hertes from vnderstondinge.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. V., 70. Forasmuche as our saied father is witholden with diuerse sicknes, in such maner as he maie not intende in his owne persone.

1595.  Shaks., John, V. vi. 37. With hold thine indignation, mighty heauen. Ibid. (1601), Jul. C., III. ii. 108. What cause withholds you then to mourne for him?

1696.  Tate & Brady, Ps. xl. 9. Nor did [I] … my Lips with-hold.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 237. So I withheld my Passion, though I was indeed enrag’d to the highest Degree.

1742.  Johnson, Sydenham, Wks. 1787, IV. 493. He was with-held from the university by the commencement of the war.

1742.  Fielding, J. Andrews, II. v. Had not some awe of the company … withheld his rage. Ibid. (1749), Tom Jones, V. ii. From serenading his Patient every Hunting Morning with the Horn…, it was impossible to withhold him.

1780.  Johnson, Lett. to Mrs. Thrale, 8 May. Such is the call for your presence; what is there to withhold you?

1868.  Lynch, Rivulet, cxvii. i. While darkness yet withheld the dawn.

1873.  J. G. Holland, A. Bonnicastle, ii. 38. I longed to go nearer to it, but the prohibition withheld me.

1912.  J. F. Chance, in Engl. Hist. Rev., Jan., 53. Robert Walpole in England, resolute against expensive entanglements abroad, withheld Great Britain from giving support on German and Polish questions to the extent that Frederick William desired.

  absol.  1382.  Wyclif, 2 Thess. ii. 6. Now what withholdith, ȝe witen, that he be schewid in his tyme.

1560.  Bible (Genev.), 2 Thess. ii. 7. He which now withholdeth, shal let til he be taken out of the waye.

  b.  refl. To restrain oneself.

c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 135. Ðe mann þe him wiðhalt … of ates & of drenches.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 348. Ich halsie ou … þet ȝe wiðholden ou from vlesliche lustes.

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 12623. Ȝow to withholde Fro þe synnes þat byfore are tolde.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xxii. 99. If it be swa þat any man … withhald him fra þis feste.

c. 1400.  trans. Secr. Secr., Gov. Lordsh., 73. With-holde þe from latynge of blood. Ibid., 116. He þat with-oldys him to sterre his hondes.

a. 1619.  Fotherby, Atheom., II. viii. § 2 (1622), 283. He prayeth to God, to withhold him; because hee could not withhold himselfe.

1897.  P. Warung, Tales Old Regime, 246. For Blake, who though tempted, yet withheld himself from yielding.

  † c.  intr. To refrain from; occas. const. inf., or trans. with gerund. Obs.

1650.  H. More, Observ., in Enthus. Tri., etc. (1656), 103. You could not with-hold from telling us that you are but a young man.

1650.  Bradford, Plymouth Plant. (1856), 104. They withheld and did no more hurte.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 123, ¶ 5. He could no longer withhold making himself known to him.

1807.  [? W. H. Ireland], Mod. Ship of Fools, 118, note. No man should withhold from extending his hand to support the falling. Ibid., 275, note. The fools will carefully withhold from the mention of their own fooleries.

1817.  Jas. Mill, Brit. India, V. iv. II. 453. He was incapable of giving, or capable of withholding to give … an opinion.

  † d.  trans. To keep away or off, ward off. Obs.

13[?].  K. Alis., 2302. Glitoun … pulte forth a stelene scheld, Nygusars dunt withhuld.

1560.  1st Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot. (1621), 66. Every Kirk must have … thack able to with-hold raine.

  † e.  To hinder, prevent. (With dir. obj., clause, or acc., and inf.) Obs.

c. 1400.  trans. Secr. Secr., Gov. Lordsh., 93. Vnderstandynge … ys Iuge wirkand, and withhaldand þat þat vndoynge bycomes.

1486.  Bk. St. Albans, c vj b. It is anoyus sekenes … and with holdeth hir strengthe.

1674.  N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 39. Nothing with-holds, but that from an infinite tale of finites there may at length arise an infinite.

1754.  Richardson, Grandison, II. iii. 22. Nothing with-holds my wishes to be released, but my desire of seeing the darling … happy.

  f.  To keep away or separated from. rare.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, IV. vi. 150. Quham of the realm of Itail I defraud, And fra the ground to him promist withhad.

1854.  Patmore, Angel in Ho., Betrothal, 140. Like a ship frost-bound and far Withheld in ice from the ocean’s roar.

  † g.  To defer, postpone. Obs. rare.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., XXII. 258. She … willing longer to survey The sire and son’s great acts, with-held the day.

  2.  To keep back; to keep in one’s possession (what belongs to, is due to, or is desired by another); to refrain from giving, granting or allowing. † Formerly with dat. of person. (The current sense.)

c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 139. Ða þinges ðe ne sculen ben iȝiuen, þa bieð to wiðealden mid michele skele.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 914. Wid-held he ðor-of neuere on del, Oc al ðat euere fel him to, Sac-les he let hin welden it so.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 28427. Gains godd i haue bene vn-hende, Þat i wit-halden ha my tende.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. VI. 42. He with-halt non hyne his huire.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 5620. Ȝeld me þe relyqes vp agayn, þat þou with-halst of myne.

1449[?].  Paston Lett., Suppl. (1901), 22. The Pryore and Convent of Norwyche have wythhalden certeyn rent for landes that they halden of me.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, X. xli. 480. A knyghte that hyght Goneryes that withhelde her alle her landes.

1493.  Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 105. That ye without your duty belonging to the sayd Mr. Lee.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 232. Your old rightes & possessions, which wer from you … wrongfully with holden.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., II. xi. 9. Soone as Titan gan his head exault, And soone againe as he his light with hault.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 186. Blessings … not with-held from Pagan people.

1728.  Pope, Dunc., III. 275.

1794.  R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., I. 480. From such an inference, I must … withhold my assent.

1848.  Dickens, Dombey, xlvi. Perch the messenger … could not withhold the tribute of his admiration from this zealous conduct.

1861.  Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., xiii. 178. [Parliament’s] acknowledged power to give or to withhold supplies.

1874.  S. Wilberforce, Ess., I. 381. The other branches of the Church Catholic, with which … communion was … withholden from us.

1883.  Tylor, in Encycl. Brit., XV. 199/1. Such divine beings as can … give or withhold the rain.

1911.  Act 12 Geo. V., c. 46 § 4. That by reason of such refusal [to republish] the work is withheld from the public.

  absol.  1781.  Cowper, Hope, 331. He will give freely, or he will withhold.

1859.  Whittier, My Psalm, 42. All as God wills, who wisely heeds To give or to withhold.

  † 3.  To detain; to keep in bondage, in custody, or under control. Also fig. Obs.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 3019. He [sc. Pharaoh] wið-held hem, and, al-so he [sc. Moses] it bead, Al ðe erf of egipt wurð dead.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, IV. 597. It is no shame vn-to ȝow,… Hire to with-holden þat ye loueth most.

1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 308. If thou art on of alle, That with this vice hast ben withholde.

1422.  Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 161. Verite in this dayes is wyth-holde, bonde, and prisoner.

c. 1520.  Skelton, Garl. Laurell, etc., Wks. 1843, I. 427. The twayne last [sc. Right and Reason] Be withholde so fast With mony, as men sayne, They can not come agayne.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., II. i. 26. She (perforce) with holds the loued boy.

1611.  Tourneur, Ath. Trag., I. ii. Your favour had by his duty beene preuented, If we had not with-held him in the way.

1714.  Orig. Canto Spenser, xxxvi. The strugling Fly he firmly doth with-hold. [Cf. quot. 1854 in 1 f.]

  † 4.  To keep in use or possession; rarely, to keep in place; to retain; esp. to retain in the memory; occas. to reserve to oneself. Obs.

c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 27. Hit is al ȝedwoll, and of haðenesse ȝiet wiðhealden.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Boeth., IV. pr. vi. (1868), 139. He wolde for-leten perauenture to continue innocence, by þe whiche he ne may nat wiþholden fortune. Ibid. (c. 1386), Pars. T., ¶ 967. [The Pater noster] is short,… for to withholden it the moore esily in herte.

1387–8.  T. Usk, Test. Love, II. viii. (Skeat), l. 121. Al-though it be a whyle swete, it may not be with-holde.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. ii. (Tollem. MS.). Þe heed is sumdel comynge narow and hyȝe, and þat to with holde þe bagge of þe brayne.

c. 1400.  trans. Secr. Secr., Gov. Lordsh., 78. Study … to kepe and witholde kyndly hete.

c. 1430.  Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. xv. (1869), 10. He hath with holde to him alle vengeaunces.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, li. e ij. I wold ye couthe and wel withheld the example of a knyght that had thre wyues.

  † b.  To keep attached to one’s person or engaged in one’s service; to retain for one’s pleasure or profit, keep on one’s side. Obs.

c. 1300.  Havelok, 2356. A thusand knihtes ful wel o bon With-held þe king, with him to lede.

c. 1380.  Antecrist, in Todd, Three Treat. Wyclif (1851), 150. Crist wiþhelde no men of lawe ne pleders at þe barr for robes and fees.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (1919), xxvi. 157. All the mynstrelles þat comen before hym … ben withholden with him as of his houshold.

c. 1412.  Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1250. With-holde hir on þi side.

1423.  Acts Privy Council, III. 90. He has bene withholde and of retenue for a yere wyt the … noble Kyng Henry.

1424.  Paston Lett., I. 17. [He] never was servaunt to the … Duc … ne wythhaldyn in hese service.

c. 1500.  Three Kings Sons, 22. My lorde withhelde him for his seruaunt.

  † 5.  To keep, maintain, preserve. Obs.

c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 71. Ðat tu hes kunne wel ȝecnawen & mid godes fultume wiðhealden.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Boeth., IV. pr. vi. (1868), 142. God … hastiþ to wiþhalden þe þinges þat he haþ maked in to hys semblaunce. Ibid. (c. 1386), Prol., 511. To seken hym a chauntrie for soules, Or with a bretherhed to been withholde.

1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 7. Knyhthode … Wherof the wyde worldes fame Write in Cronique is yit withholde.

c. 1418.  Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 244. Hem nedethe nether spere ne shulde, Ne in no castel to be withholde.

  † 6.  a. To hold. b. To hold up, sustain. Obs. rare.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, VIII. xi. 44. In thair hand wythhaldand, euery knycht, Twa javilling speris.

1760–72.  H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), II. 159. [He] cut the hair that withheld me in twain; so down I thought I fell.

  † 7.  intr. To hold or adhere to. Obs. rare.

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour, Prol. 4. Forto flee euelle and withholde the good. Ibid., 54. Alle these men that kepithe hem selff clene … haue free hert to witholde good ensaumples of lyff.

  Hence Withholdable a., liable to be or capable of being withheld.

1810.  Bentham, Packing (1821), 248. The habitual, but ever withholdable bribes, with which they are fed.