what does hold up mean here?
If this somewhat controversial finding holds up.....
If this somewhat controversial finding holds up.....
hold up
Another way of putting it would be "If this somewhat controversial finding does indeed hold water......"
I hope that makes it clear.
Just kidding :). It means "if the controversial finding stands up to questioning and is able to be widely accepted.", i.e, whether or not it is actually believed by others, as opposed to being dismissed as false.
I hope that makes it clearer.
I hope that makes it clear.
Just kidding :). It means "if the controversial finding stands up to questioning and is able to be widely accepted.", i.e, whether or not it is actually believed by others, as opposed to being dismissed as false.
I hope that makes it clearer.
<<If this somewhat controversial finding holds up..... >>
Yes to the above answer.
This meaning of "hold up" is a corruption of "hold [itself] up", closely related to 'hold up' meaning "hold aloft" (lit. hold "up") but not to 'hold up' meaning "hinder/impede" (<earlier "forhold") where most verbs with the prefix 'for-' (meaning "completely/fully") were dropped in favor of the post positioned 'up' (also meaning "fully/completely") [cf. 'stop up' for 'forstop'; 'break up' for 'forbreak'; etc]
others diversified in meaning: like 'give up' alongside 'forgive' (in its modern sense. originally, 'to give up [on] one's fault'/'relinquish one's guiltiness')
Yes to the above answer.
This meaning of "hold up" is a corruption of "hold [itself] up", closely related to 'hold up' meaning "hold aloft" (lit. hold "up") but not to 'hold up' meaning "hinder/impede" (<earlier "forhold") where most verbs with the prefix 'for-' (meaning "completely/fully") were dropped in favor of the post positioned 'up' (also meaning "fully/completely") [cf. 'stop up' for 'forstop'; 'break up' for 'forbreak'; etc]
others diversified in meaning: like 'give up' alongside 'forgive' (in its modern sense. originally, 'to give up [on] one's fault'/'relinquish one's guiltiness')