German word

festhalten

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈfɛstˌhaltən/

Meaning

  • verbhold on to

Example

Er hält das Seil fest.

He is holding on to the rope.

Illustration for festhalten (hold on to)

More examples

Sie hält seine Hand fest.

She holds his hand firmly.

Core concept

A firm hold keeps an object, fact, person, or position from slipping away.

Common phrases

  • jemanden an der Hand festhalten

    hold someone firmly by the hand

  • am Geländer festhalten

    hold on to the railing firmly

  • etwas schriftlich festhalten

    record something in writing

Similar words

halten: Continuing to hold an object in the hand or keep it in place.
greifen: Taking hold of something quickly with the hand.
anfassen: Briefly touching something with the hand.
loslassen: Releasing an object from the hand.

Definition in German

Etwas mit der Hand fest und kräftig halten, damit es nicht verrutscht oder verloren geht.

Word origin

The verb is a compound of inherited Germanic fest, meaning firm or fixed, and halten, meaning to hold, with later figurative extensions from the physical sense.

Usage tips

  • The pattern an etwas festhalten means insisting on something and takes the dative, while jemanden festhalten can mean detaining someone.

Other meanings

  • recordverb
  • detainverb
  • insist onverb

Opposites

  • loslassenlet goverb

Related words

  • Festhaltenrecordnoun
  • festgehaltenrecordedadjective

Word lists with this word