hold back
1 (v + adv) prevent sb/sth from advancing TRANSITIVEcoinnigh siar coimeád siar PhrV cúl a chur ar they held back the crowd choinnigh siad an slua siar, chuir siad cúl ar an sluait held back the water choimeád sé an t-uisce siar 2 (v + adv) prevent sb from making progress TRANSITIVEcoinnigh siar coimeád siar PhrV stop a chur le bac a chur ar her sore ankle held her back choimeád a rúitín tinn siar í, chuir an phian ina rúitín moill uirthimy age has never held me back níor chuir m'aois stop liom fós, ní raibh an aois ina bac orm riamhlack of facilities is holding them back tá easpa áiseanna á gcoinneáil siarShow full entry
3 (v + adv) impede, act as obstacle to TRANSITIVEcoimeád siar PhrV coinnigh ar gcúlbac a chur ar high costs are holding back investment níl daoine ag infheistiú de bharr costais arda, tá costais arda ina mbac ar infheistiúthe weather held back the search chuir an aimsir moill ar an gcuardach 4 (v + adv) hesitate to do, refrain from doing INTRANSITIVEshe held back from telling him níor bhac sí é a rá leis, shocraigh sí gan é a rá leisI held back from trusting him níor lig mé dom féin é a thrust, ní raibh mé ábalta muinín a chur annhe's holding back from selling níl sé sásta díol 5 (v + adv) manage not to show (feeling)
TRANSITIVEsmacht a choinneáil ar VP coinnigh siar PhrV ceil verb guaim a choinneáil ar VP guaim a choimeád ar VPhe held back the anger choinnigh sé greim ar a chuid feirgeshe held back her impatience choinnigh sí smacht ar a cuid mífhoighne, chuir sí a cuid mífhoighne faoi choiswe managed to hold back the laughter d'éirigh linn srian a chur ar an ngáire, choinníomar istigh an gáirehe held back the tears choinnigh sé siar na deora, choimeád sé na deora faoi cheilt
INTRANSITIVEshe sensed he was holding back so that no one would see his pain bhraith sí go raibh sé ag coimeád srian ar a chuid mothúchán le nach bhfeicfeadh duine a bith an phian a bhí air
6 (v + adv) keep back TRANSITIVEcoinnigh siar coimeád siar PhrV he's holding copies back tá cóipeanna á gcoimeád siar aigethey held back the best players níor chuir siad na himreoirí ab fhearr chun páirce → see hold