take hold

present singular third person takes hold · participle present taking hold · past took hold · participle past taken hold

1. To grasp, seize.

   The astonishing sight of the Cristo do Corcovado took hold of our attention.

   Synonyms: lay hold of

2. intransitiveTo take root, become established.

   By now, a new worry had emerged. With the rescuers working close to so many dead bodies, there was fear of disease taking hold.

   2025 February 19, Mike Lewis, “Tragedy at Moorgate”, in RAIL, number 1029, page 59, about the Moorgate tube crash

   2 more examples

   Then the highly virulent mental germs skillfully inoculated took a hold in the subconscious mind of European humanity; the disease developed rapidly, spread like wild fire, and raged unabated throughout the width and length of the central empires.

   1919, Boris Sidis, The Source and Aim of Human Progress

   Contours of a deal with conservative holdouts who had been blocking McCarthy’s rise had emerged the night before, and took hold after four dismal days and 14 failed votes in an intraparty standoff unseen in modern times.

   January 7 2023, Lisa Mascaro, Farnoush Amiri, “McCarthy elected House speaker in rowdy post-midnight vote”, in AP News