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Ahava_yin Posted 22 years ago
Grammar

Fifty-nine and holding

Hi,

"They are both 'fifty-nine and holding' and longtime friends." Would you please let me know how you interpret "holding"? Thank you!

Ahava
  

Top answer

Difficult to say precisely-- either they are only admitting to be 59 years old (because they don't want to turn 60), but are actually older; or they are indeed 59 years old, but are healthy and youthful-looking. ) Sometimes they pause in the countdown for some purpose, and the phrase changes to 'eight minutes and holding', 'eight minutes and holding'-- so time ceases to move forward, in a way.

— Mister Micawber

  • Difficult to say precisely-- either they are only admitting to be 59 years old (because they don't want to turn 60), but are actually older; or they are indeed 59 years old, but are healthy and youthful-looking.
  • ) Sometimes they pause in the countdown for some purpose, and the phrase changes to 'eight minutes and holding', 'eight minutes and holding'-- so time ceases to move forward, in a way.
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2 Answers
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Difficult to say precisely-- either they are only admitting to be 59 years old (because they don't want to turn 60), but are actually older; or they are indeed 59 years old, but are healthy and youthful-looking.

The phrase '...and holding' is taken from NASA countdowns, I believe, where they audibly count the time until the rocket launch ('ten minutes and counting', 'nine minutes and cou
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Thank you Mister Micawber, thank you for your detailed explaination. The content where the sentence appears is about kayaking--they are fifty-nine and holding and both of them like kayaking. So I guess it means they are healthy and youthful-looking. Thank you very much
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