English - Etymology
From Middle English withholden, equivalent to with- + hold.
English - Pronunciation
English - Verb
withhold (third-person singular simple present withholds, present participle withholding, simple past withheld, past participle withheld or (rare) withholden)
- (transitive) To keep (a physical object that one has obtained) to oneself rather than giving it back to its owner.
- (transitive) To keep (information, etc) to oneself rather than revealing it.
- (transitive) To retain; to keep back; not to grant; as, to withhold assent to a proposition.
Synonyms
Derived terms
- overwithhold
- underwithhold