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Davidrock65 Posted 20 years ago
Vocabulary

hold up,hold out and hold off

whats the difference between hold up, hold out and hold off?

A. It's raining. I think we should hold up/ hold off the meeting.

B. The bar is really heavy. Are you sure you can hold up any longer?

C. I think we have to hold out / hold off a little longer untill we are ready to really commit to each other.

D. a: I can live two days without water. b: I don't think I can hold out/ hold up that long.

E. Sorry, I got held up/held off by the heavy traffic.

Also would you please explain to me how to use break (something) down? Are the following sentences correct?

A: She really liked me, but deep down I know that I am gay. So one day I decided to break it down to her.

B: Singing makes people feel good. It makes you break down who you are and (vent your feeling out.?)

Thank you for being so patient answering my questions.
  

Top answer

I have a dictionary of english phrasal verbs here and i think u should buy one . I 'm just sure of the E . Sorry , i got held up by the heavy traffic .

  • I have a dictionary of english phrasal verbs here and i think u should buy one .
  • I 'm just sure of the E .
  • Sorry , i got held up by the heavy traffic .
  • That's a very popular sentence in my grammar test .
  • And u know , it means : get stuck in the heavy traffic .
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5 Answers
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I have a dictionary of english phrasal verbs here and i think u should buy one .
I 'm just sure of the E . Sorry , i got held up by the heavy traffic . That's a very popular sentence in my grammar test . And u know , it means : get stuck in the heavy traffic .
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Hold up: To slow something's progress ("What's holding up traffic?") or to rob ("he was arrested for holding up the bank.") To not be fatigued ("You've been running for an hour, how are you holding up?)

Hold out: To stay together/in ("If we can hold out just a little longer, we'll win the race.") To offer ("Hold out your hand.")

Hold off: To wait or do something later ("let's hol
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thanks , what a nice teacher !!!
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I think you may have meant "break it to her" which means to reveal news, usually bad.

Hey, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but your wife is cheating on you.

So the girlfriend who finds out the guy she's in love with is gay would see that as bad news - He needs to break it to her gently - which means give the bad news in as nice a way as possible.
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B: Singing makes people feel good. It makes you break down who you are and (vent your feeling out.?)

This example doesn't work so well semantically. Breaking down who you are is an analytical process--as you say, 'break it into smaller pieces'. I don't know that singing lends itself to that kind of process, or that the good feeling that

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