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Glite Dictionary
to holden

to holden

1 9.9
Kept in someone's hand or owned by them
  • verb
  • /ˈhoʊldən/
  • Archaic
: sostenido
  • In ancient tales, treasures were holden deep within the mountain.

Examples

  • She was holden in high regard by all who knew her.

  • The knight was holden by his oath to the king.

  • The crown was holden by the rightful heir.

  • In the tale, the treasure was holden by the king's decree.

  • The ancient king was holden to his promises, never breaking a vow.

  • Throughout the ages, wisdom was holden by those who learned from experience.

  • The book of spells provided knowledge that was holden dear by the apprentices.

Synonyms

held
vsto holden
53 3.8

A place that a person or group controls

is the archaic poetic past form meaning grasped or kept in possession
to withholden
vsto holden
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To keep something back and not give it

is about keeping or maintaining possession rather than refusing to give

Surface Forms

holden infinitive
holden past participle

Morphology

holden = hold (semi-transparent) = hold + en

This is a regular old past participial form built from 'hold' + '-en', but the archaic/poetic form is less familiar to modern learners.

Etymology

The word holden is an old past form of hold, like the modern word held. It originally meant someone or something 'grasped' or 'kept', so when you see holden in old poems or stories it simply means 'held' or kept.