HOLDUP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does holdup mean? 

• HOLDUP (noun)
  The noun HOLDUP has 2 senses:

1. robbery at gunpoint

2. the act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time

  Familiarity information: HOLDUP used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HOLDUP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Robbery at gunpoint

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

armed robbery; heist; holdup; stickup

Hypernyms ("holdup" is a kind of...):

robbery (larceny by threat of violence)

Derivation:

hold up (rob at gunpoint or by means of some other threat)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

delay; holdup

Hypernyms ("holdup" is a kind of...):

inactivity (being inactive; being less active)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "holdup"):

break; disruption; gap; interruption (an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity)

demurrage (detention of a ship or freight car or other cargo beyond its scheduled time of departure)

forbearance (a delay in enforcing rights or claims or privileges; refraining from acting)

deferment; deferral; postponement (act of putting off to a future time)

cunctation; procrastination; shillyshally (the act of procrastinating; putting off or delaying or defering an action to a later time)

lag; retardation; slowdown (the act of slowing down or falling behind)

dalliance; dawdling; trifling (the deliberate act of delaying and playing instead of working)

filibuster ((law) a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long speeches)

lingering; tarriance (the act of tarrying)

Derivation:

hold up (cause to be slowed down or delayed)