Hold on means to wait, or to hold something tightly. To ask someone to wait, in conversation or on the phone, you say “Hold on a second”. In the sense of holding, “hold on” is usually followed by “to” and the thing you are holding: “hold on to the rail”.
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hold on (a second/minute); hold on to + thing; hold on tight
- Hold on a minute, I'll check if the manager is free.
- The bus stopped suddenly, and I had to hold on to the rail.
- Hold on, you said the train leaves at six, not seven?
What changed
First versionThe floor was wet, so I held on for the handrail.
RevisionThe floor was wet, so I held on to the handrail.
“For” may look possible here, but when you grip something, “hold on” is followed by “to”: “held on to the handrail”.
“Hold on to” can also mean to keep something and not throw it away: Hold on to your receipt in case you need a refund. And a short “Hold on” in an argument means “Wait, something is wrong here”: Hold on, this bill is wrong.
Your turn
The boat was rocking, so the children ___ the sides with both hands.
Show the answer
held on to — The children were gripping the sides of the boat, and that needs “hold on to”. In “held on for”, the preposition is wrong: in this meaning, “hold on” takes “to”.
Imagine someone calls you at a bad moment. Write what you would say: ask them to wait and explain what you are doing right now.
Hold on a second, I'm just getting off the bus, and then I'll find the file.
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