overhold

English edit

From Middle English overholden, from Old English oferhealdan (“to overcome, overtake, hold over, delay to do, neglect”), from Proto-Germanic *uber (“over”) + *haldaną (“to hold”), equivalent to over- +‎ hold. Cognate with Dutch overhouden (“to hang on, hold over, save”), German überhalten (“to hold on to, keep”), Danish overholde (“to observe”).

overhold (third-person singular simple present overholds, present participle overholding, simple past overheld, past participle overheld or overholden)

(transitive) To overvalue; overestimate; hold or estimate at too dear a rate.
- c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
  if he overhold his price so much
- 1854, REPORTS FROM SELECT COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS AND EVIDENCE:
  That is your opinion: you state here that you were induced to overhold the land […]
(transitive) To hold over; keep.

overhold (plural overholds)

The act or process of holding over.
- 2002, Walter H. Posner, The Leasing Process: A Guide for the Commercial Tenant:
  Overholding clauses serve the purpose of contractually regulating the terms and conditions of an overhold.

overhold