hold the line

English

Etymology

Probably an allusion to a line of soldiers remaining steadfastly in position during combat.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

hold the line (third-person singular simple present holds the line, present participle holding the line, simple past and past participle held the line)

1. (idiomatic) To firmly maintain one's viewpoint, principles, or situation; to refuse to change one's practices or plans.
   • 1966 November 29, “UN Expected To Hold Line On Red China”, in The Robesonian, USA, retrieved 29 August 2012, page 1:

     The UN General Assembly was expected to hold the line again today against seating Red China.

   • 1992 December 9, “Business Loans Up”, in New York Times, retrieved 29 August 2012:

     The quarterly survey . . . said banks were holding the line on lending standards for commercial loans and were more willing to lend to individuals.

   • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Virmire:

     Think of our heroes: the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts.
     These giants do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are. Before the network, there was the fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers.
     Our influence stopped the rachni, but before that, we held the line. Our influence stopped the krogan, but before that, we held the line!
     Our influence will stop Saren! In the battle today, we will hold the line!

   • 2010 July 2, Jay Newton-Small, “Amid a Political Standoff, the Unemployed Still Wait”, in Time:

     But the GOP lawmakers are happy to take home the news that they have held the line against deficit spending.

   • 2023 August 31, Gina Raimondo, 0:49 from the start, in Commerce Secy. Raimondo says ‘we have to hold the line’ on tech export controls after China visit‎^[1], MSNBC:

     So you put your finger on how complicated and complex this relationship is, but we have to hold the line. I mean, on matters of national security, particularly things like artificial intelligence semiconductors, which, we are way ahead of China, and they want in order to expand/improve their military- there can be no room for compromise.

   • 2024 April 3, Philip Haigh, “Discord over Avanti West Coast is part of a wider problem”, in RAIL, number 1006, page 52:

     Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham pulled no punches in March 20's Transport for the North board meeting in Leeds. He wants rid of Avanti West Coast. And he may yet get his way, although ministers in London are holding the line at the moment.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:hold the line.

See also

• stick to one's guns
• keep rank

Further reading

• “hold the line”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.