hold together

present singular third person holds together · participle present holding together · participle past held together · past held together

1. transitiveTo cause to stay together.

   Porphire & alle hise heolden ham togederes.

   a. 1225, The Legend of St Katherine, l. 2268

   1 more example

   ...the sacred band That holds mankind together...

   1785, William Cowper, Task, ll. 687 f

2. figurativelyidiomaticSynonym of hold it together: to cope with adversity.

   Synonyms: hold it together

3. intransitiveTo stay together.

   There was hope that the ship would hold together.

   1861, Temple Bar, number 3, page 509

   2 more examples

   ...That thai schuld frely fond, To hold togider at eueri nede...

   c. 1330, Amis and Amiloun, ll. 151 f

   The Inspecting Officer draws attention to the remarkable way in which the train held together after the final derailment; this was due in no small measure to the robustness of the buckeye couplings fitted to the coaches.

   1960 March, “Talking of Trains: The Slough derailment”, in Trains Illustrated, page 132