0
Pructus Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

'Hold' and 'Hold to'

In the book, 'Little House on the Prairie' by Laura Ingalls Wilder, I saw the sentence "Laura stood up and held to one of the wagon bows"

The wagon bows: This sentence in the book is speaking about them: He(Laura's father) made hickory bows and fastened them upright to the wagon box. Ma helped him stretch white canvas over them.

What is the difference between, "Laura stood up and held to one of the wagon bows" --- HELD TO

and "Laura stood up and held one of the wagon bows" ---- HELD

Is there any difference between the two?
  

Top answer

Didn't we already answer this one? Usually we would say "she held" or "she held on to" something. "Hold to" sounds like a more old-fashioned or poetic variation.

— Khoff

  • Didn't we already answer this one?
  • Usually we would say "she held" or "she held on to" something.
  • "Hold to" sounds like a more old-fashioned or poetic variation.
  • ")
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

2 Answers
0
Didn't we already answer this one? Usually we would say "she held" or "she held on to" something. "Hold to" sounds like a more old-fashioned or poetic variation.

(I'm thinking of a poem by Langston Hughes that says "Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die/ Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.") ("Hold fast" here means "hold tight," not "hold quickly.")
0
0
Dear Pructus,

It is perhaps the first line of the book? If so, it is: «Laura held tight to the wagon bow and stood up in the jolting wagon».

Kind regards,
0

Related Questions