Meanings
- NorfolkidiomaticimperativeWait for a moment. Be patient.
"Hold yew hard," Sweetnin' adjured him, "while I get that there little step-ladder."
1933, Ralph Hale Mottram, The Lame Dog, page 2733 more examples
"Hold yew hard," said old Joe. "Will a hunnerd pounds hurt ye for the passage? We might make that a feeshin' in the time."
1909, James Blyth, A Bid for Loyalty, page 60Mum flew at her sister like a tiger. 'Hold yew hard!' she bawled, spit coming out of her mouth. 'What dew yew mean by layin' inter that child like that? 'E in't dewin' yew no 'arm. Yew always was a spiteful bitch! Yew c'n git out a' my 'ouse, quick as yew like, or I'll fist yew one in the snout!'
1986, Audrey Whiting, Gal Audrey, page 24He held up his hand in defence. "Hold yew hard, Mr Challiss; hear me out afore yew blow me 'ead orf. […]"
2010, J. A. Noble, The Lime Walk, →ISBN, page 472
Origin
References holding a horse's reins to keep it still. In this phrase, yew is an eye dialect spelling of you.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
hold yew hard. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20yew%20hard
“hold yew hard.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20yew%20hard. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hold yew hard,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20yew%20hard.
Source: hold yew hard on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.