Meaning trap
hold up
delay
To cause someone or something to be late or to slow down.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To cause someone or something to be late or to slow down.
Another meaning of 'hold up' is 'support'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- Sorry I'm late—the traffic really held me up this morning.daily life
- If public transport is unreliable, it can hold up commuters and make them late for work or school.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: hold (someone/something) up
WrongSorry, I don't want to hold up you.
RightSorry, I don't want to hold you up.
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle — 'hold you up', not 'hold up you'.
Patternhold (someone/something) up
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Hold up' is the everyday verb for delaying someone. The formal apology is corporate.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
hold up + person/thingtrafficthe queueyouthe project
Don't confuse it
'Hold up' (delay) is different from 'hold on', which means to wait.
Related
- hold up (support) — Another meaning of 'hold up' is 'support'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.