A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

hold a trial • hold court
hold a trial —determine whether an accused person is guilty
or innocent by a court of law: If he pleads guilty, there is usu-
ally no reason to hold a trial. The court has only to decide
what the sentence will be.
hold court—
1
. hold a session of a judicial assembly: While
the court house was in process of repair the court was held in
the basement of the Methodist Church. 2. is used of official
receptions given by a ruler, etc.: In fact, Mary was the first
princess of Wales, and the first female royal to hold court at
Ludlow. 3. be surrounded by people who pay a lot of attention
to the person: He was known to hold “court” with his fellow
faculty members and engage them in endless scholarly con-
versation.
hold an appointment • keep an appointment
hold an appointment—(formal) hold a position or office: A
Subaltern Officer is not eligible to hold the appointment of
Aide-de-Camp, until he has been present with his Regiment
at least two years.
keep an appointment—not fail to meet a person after fixing
a time and place: Under some pretext or other she would fail
to keep the appointment.
hold back • keep back
hold back —be slow or unwilling to act; stay in the back-
ground: Because of the uncertain state of the market, buyers
are holding back.
keep back —hold oneself back; stay at a distance from smth.:
Keep back so that each man may have a fair view of the pit.
hold book • keep books
hold book —(Theater) act as the prompter: Moving on to
the rehearsal phase, you learn why the stage manager should
always hold book.
keep books —keep records of money gained and spent: These
stores were operated by managers who kept books showing
daily gross receipts and cash expenditures.