holdout
/ˈhəʊld.aʊt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhoʊld.aʊt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhōld-ˌau̇t/ (ame, mw)
holdout — 名詞
- holdoutsingular
- holdoutsplural
1. a person, group, or country that keeps doing or believing something even when ot
拒不從者
拒絕配合多數人的人或團體
a person, group, or country that keeps doing or believing something even when others are pushing hard to make them stop or join in — for example, the last team owner refusing to sign a labour deal, or one nation still rejecting a treaty everyone else has signed.
Brooke was the only holdout when her book club voted for science fiction.
讀書會投票選科幻小說時，Brooke 是唯一拒不附和的人。
noun + 'the only holdout' pattern for a single dissenter
Six neighbours signed the petition; one holdout refused to add his name.
六位鄰居都簽了連署書；只有一個拒不簽名的異議者不肯加上自己的名字。
numeric contrast: the rest agreed, one did not
By Tuesday morning, only three countries remained holdouts on the climate agreement.
到了星期二早上，只剩三個國家在氣候協議上仍是拒不簽署的異議方。
Hoa's small bakery is the last holdout against the coffee chains taking over the street.
Hoa 的小麵包店是這條街上最後一家不向連鎖咖啡店妥協的商家。
The union called the two holdouts greedy for blocking the contract everyone else accepted.
工會罵那兩個拒不接受的異議者貪心，因為他們擋下了其他人都同意的合約。
文法句型
holdout against [pressure/agreement]
the last holdout
用法筆記
Often appears as 'the last holdout' or 'the only holdout', highlighting one person or group standing apart from a larger consenting majority. Frequently followed by 'against' + the thing being resisted.
常見錯誤
holdout — 動詞
- holdoutpresent simple I / you / we / they
- holdouts3rd person singular
- holdouting-ing form
- holdoutedpast simple
1. to keep refusing to agree, give up, or accept what is being offered, usually bec
堅持不讓步
為爭取更好條件而拒絕同意
to keep refusing to agree, give up, or accept what is being offered, usually because you want a better deal or because you do not want to join the others.
Andrew held out for a higher salary and finally got the offer he wanted.
Andrew 堅持不讓步要求更高的薪水，最後拿到了他想要的待遇。
'hold out for [a better offer]' — most common pattern
Two jurors held out against the rest, so the trial ended without a verdict.
兩位陪審員堅持不讓步反對其他人，結果這場審判沒有判決就結束了。
'hold out against' + a majority pressing for agreement
Élise's grandmother held out for weeks before agreeing to move into the care home.
Élise 的奶奶堅持了好幾個禮拜不肯讓步，才終於同意搬進安養院。
The small village held out against the developers who wanted to buy their land.
這個小村莊堅持不讓步，抵抗想買下他們土地的開發商。
Roya knew the strike would only end when the last workers stopped holding out.
Roya 知道罷工要等到最後一批工人停止堅持時才會結束。
- resist
more general; can be physical or abstract
- stand firm
emphasises moral or principled refusal
- stick it out
informal; stresses endurance more than refusal
文法句型
hold out for [something better]
hold out against [pressure]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (offer/present): this sense is intransitive and means refusing to give in. Subject is typically a person or group under pressure to agree.
常見錯誤
2. to put forward hope, a promise, or a chance of something as something that could
提出；給予
把希望或可能性作為現實前景提出
to put forward hope, a promise, or a chance of something as something that could really happen — used especially when describing what an offer or situation makes possible.
The new treatment holds out hope of recovery for patients with this rare disease.
這個新療法為罹患這種罕見疾病的病人提出了康復的希望。
'hold out hope of [something]' — most frequent collocation
The job description held out the promise of foreign travel and a generous bonus.
這份職務說明提出了出國工作與優渥獎金的承諾。
'hold out the promise of' + an attractive condition
Doctors no longer held out much hope for Jack after the third operation failed.
第三次手術失敗之後，醫生對 Jack 的康復已不抱太大希望。
The peace talks held out a real chance of ending the long conflict.
這場和平會談提出了結束這場長期衝突的真正機會。
Christopher's letter held out an invitation to visit his family in Toronto next summer.
Christopher 的信中提出了明年夏天到他多倫多家裡作客的邀請。
文法句型
hold out [hope/promise/possibility] of [something]
hold out [an offer] to [someone]
用法筆記
Typical objects are abstract nouns of possibility: 'hope', 'promise', 'chance', 'invitation', 'prospect'. Avoid using with concrete objects — you don't 'hold out a chair' in this sense.
常見錯誤
3. to describe or present a person or thing publicly as being a particular kind of
宣稱為；自稱
對外把人或物呈現為某種身分
to describe or present a person or thing publicly as being a particular kind of person or thing — often used when someone makes a claim about themselves or another that may not be accurate.
Sayaka held herself out as a licensed accountant, though she had never passed the exam.
Sayaka 自稱是有執照的會計師，但她其實從未通過考試。
'hold oneself out as' — common reflexive pattern in legal contexts
The website held the product out as a cure for back pain.
那個網站把該產品宣稱為治療背痛的解方。
transitive use with a product or service
Ravindra was held out by his colleagues as the most experienced engineer on the team.
Ravindra 被同事們公認為團隊裡最資深的工程師。
The school holds itself out as one of the best in the region.
這所學校自稱是這個地區數一數二的好學校。
Officials held the agreement out as a model for future trade deals.
官員們把這份協議宣傳為未來貿易協定的範本。
文法句型
hold [someone/something] out as [a particular kind]
用法筆記
Common in legal writing, especially the reflexive 'hold oneself out as', which often implies the description may be misleading or unfounded. Differs from sense 1 (refuse to yield) by being transitive and from sense 2 (offer hope) by describing identity or quality rather than possibility.