holdover
/ˈhəʊldəʊvə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [hˈoldˌovɚ] /ˈhəʊldəʊvər/ (ame, ipa) · [hˈoldˌovɚ] /ˈhōld-ˌō-vər/ (ame, mw)
holdover — noun
- holdoversingular
- holdoversplural
1. someone or something left over from a past period — for example, a staff member
someone or something left over from a past period — for example, a staff member who stays on after a new boss arrives, or a custom that people still follow even though it began long ago.
Takeshi was the only holdover from Dr. Chen's research team at the Osaka lab.
holdover from + [previous group or institution]
The dress code is a holdover from the school's strict 1950s founding rules.
holdover from + [historical period or era]
Fatima stayed as a holdover on the board after the new chairperson took over.
The stone fireplace, a holdover from the old farmhouse, still warmed the cottage on chilly evenings.
Three senior engineers remained as holdovers long after the company restructured.
用法筆記
Often used in political and business writing to describe people who keep their jobs through a change of government or management. It can also refer to customs, rules, or objects from a bygone era that still exist.
常見錯誤
holdover — verb
- holdoverpresent simple I / you / we / they
- holdovers3rd person singular
- holdovering-ing form
- holdoveredpast simple
1. to stay in a job or role beyond the point when others have moved on; or to keep
to stay in a job or role beyond the point when others have moved on; or to keep someone in their post from one period into the next.
The office manager agreed to hold over until the company found a replacement.
Governor Shah held over for six months after her official term ended.
The board voted to hold the CEO over into the next financial year.
Principal Osei was held over at the village school for an extra term.
The caretaker held over at the estate while the owners searched for a buyer.
文法句型
hold over
hold + someone + over
用法筆記
Can be used intransitively ('she held over for another year') or transitively ('the board held her over'). Common in formal workplace and political contexts.
2. to delay dealing with a matter until a later meeting or session.
to delay dealing with a matter until a later meeting or session.
The chairperson asked to hold the decision over until the next board meeting.
The judge held the sentencing over for two weeks to review new evidence.
hold + the sentencing/case + over + for + time period
The committee agreed to hold over the vote on the funding proposal.
The court held the case over while waiting for a key witness from abroad.
The bill was held over to the autumn session after fierce debate in parliament.
文法句型
hold + something + over
hold over + something
用法筆記
Object is typically a procedural item — a bill, case, decision, or vote. The setting is nearly always formal: courts, parliaments, committees, and boardrooms. Distinguish from verb sense 1 (CONTINUE IN ROLE), which is about staying in a job rather than postponing business.