withhold Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb hold back; refuse to hand over or share
    keep back.
    • The father is withholding the allowance until the son cleans his room
  2. verb retain and refrain from disbursing; of payments
    deduct; recoup.
    • My employer is withholding taxes

WordNet

With*hold" transitive verb
Etymology
With again, against, back + hold.
Wordforms
imperfect Withheld ; past participle Withheld, obsolete or archaic Withholden ; present participle & verbal noun Withholding
Definitions
  1. To hold back; to restrain; to keep from action.
    Withhold, O sovereign prince, your hasty hand From knitting league with him. Spenser.
  2. To retain; to keep back; not to grant; as, to withhold assent to a proposition.
    Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold Longer thy offered good. Milton.
  3. To keep; to maintain; to retain. Obs.
    To withhold it the more easily in heart. Chaucer.

Webster 1913