holdback
Americannoun
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the iron or strap on the shaft of a horse-drawn vehicle to which the breeching of the harness is attached, enabling the horse to hold back or to back the vehicle.
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a device for restraining or checking, as a doorstop or tieback.
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a stop or delay.
a holdback in negotiations.
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a withholding.
the holdback of a day's pay.
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something, as a planned expenditure or allotment, that is withheld or deferred.
Etymology
Origin of holdback
First recorded in 1575–85; noun use of verb phrase hold back
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For-profit sports academies, some focusing on a single sport, are popping up from Virginia to San Diego, while private schools, home-school programs and even a public school district are adding—and aggressively marketing—holdback years.
Girls, who generally mature earlier than boys, have less incentive to do holdback years, experts said.
Howard, whose fees range from $6,000 to $13,000 annually, said she turned away families with unrealistic expectations for holdback years.
Louisiana eliminated its holdback rule in 2023 along with penalties for schools and coaches that encouraged the practice.
Orange County’s largest public school district, Capistrano Unified, is rolling out its own taxpayer-funded athletic holdback year this fall.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
