withhold
part of speech
verb (withhold, withholds, withheld, withholding)
meaning for a pupil
1) To keep something back and refuse to give it: «withhold information» means not telling something you know. tree →
2) To hold back a payment or reward: «The shop withheld his pay until the work was finished.» tree →
3) (money) To take part of someone's pay for tax before they get it. tree →
sense in the lessons
In everyday life and stories, withholding the truth or help is often a sign of a secret or of punishment. In safety: an adult should never ask a child to withhold (keep secret) something that makes them feel unsafe. In money and law: tax is withheld from wages. Phrases: «withhold information», «withhold payment», «withhold your name», «withheld number».
examples
- 'Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us; in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.' (Torah GEN.23.6, JPS 1917) tree →
- If it is read as one word, it must be the action noun of בָּלַם balam 'to restrain, withhold, keep (from)'; see SY 1:8. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) tree →
- But who can withhold himself from speaking? (Writings JOB.4.2, JPS 1917) tree →
- Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.' (Prophets 2SA.13.13, JPS 1917) tree →
- Withhold not correction from the child; for though thou beat him with the rod, he will not die. (Writings PRO.23.13, JPS 1917) tree →
- The detective thought the butler was withholding something. tree →
- Please do not withhold information that could help find the lost dog. tree →
- The phone screen said «number withheld». tree →
- The teacher withheld the prize until everyone had tidied up. tree →
- The company withheld part of his wages for tax. tree →
- She withheld her smile until the judges had finished. tree →
- If someone asks you to keep a secret that worries you, do not withhold it from a trusted adult. tree →
- “Lady,” he pleaded, “you will surely not withhold information from the Ard-Ri’?” tree →
note
Irregular: withhold, withheld, withheld (like «hold, held»). Spelled with two h's: with + hold. Formal-ish word; everyday words are «keep back», «hold back», «not tell». Noun: withholding.
In the corpora
- Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.'
- Thou, O LORD, wilt not withhold Thy compassions from me; let Thy mercy and Thy truth continually preserve me.
- Withhold not good from him to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
- He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him; but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
- Withhold not correction from the child; for though thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «withhold» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.