overhold

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*uber“over”
2. Old English · inherited fromoferhealdan“to overcome, overtake, hold over, delay to do, neglect”
3. Middle English · inherited fromoverholden
4. English todayoverhold

From Middle English overholden, from Old English oferhealdan (“to overcome, overtake, hold over, delay to do, neglect”), from Proto-Germanic *uber (“over”) + *haldaną (“to hold”), equivalent to over- + hold. Cognate with Dutch overhouden (“to hang on, hold over, save”), German überhalten (“to hold on to, keep”), Danish overholde (“to observe”).

Words from the same roots