WORDS AND THEIR STORIES - Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You

NOTE: This is a Dictation Version by Van Vallen

Now, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES - a VOA Special English program about American expressions. I'm Rich Kleinfeldt with the expressions made using the word hold.

Can't hold a candle to is a popular expression. It's from the time before electricity when people used candles for light. Someone who lived in a big house would have a servant light his way by holding a candle. The expression meant that the person who can not hold a candle to you is not fit even to be your servant.

Now, it means such a person cannot compare or compete.

In the following song, singer Dolly Parton tells her new love that her old flames for old lovers can not compare with him.

(MUSIC: Old Flames Can't Hold A Candle To You by Dolly Parton)
Old flames can't hold a candle to you.
No one can light up the night like you do.

Another expression is hold your tongue. It means to be still and not talk. Hold your tongue is not something you will tell a friend. But a parent or teacher might use the expression to quiet a noise child.

Hold out is another expression one here is often in sports reports and lab news. It means to refuse to pay or work. Professional football and baseball players hold out if their team refuses to pay them what they think they are worth. Members of lab unions hold out and refuse to work until they get the work agreement they want.

The expression hold up has several different meanings. One is robbery. A man with a gun may say, "This is a hold-up! Give me your money!" Another meaning is to delay. A driver late for work may tell his boss, "I was held up by heavy traffic." Someone who was robbed on the way to work might say, "Sorry boss! I was held up by a hold-up." Still another meaning of expression is for a story to be considered true after an investigation. The same driver late for work could say, "My boss did not believe a hold-up held me up. But the police confirmed what I said, so my story held up."

Hold on is another expression. It often means wait or stop. As you leave for school your brother may say, "Hold on! You forgot your book."

Our final expression is hold the line. That means to keep a problem or situation from getting worse, to hold steady. For example, the president may say he will hold the line on taxes. He means there will be no increase in taxes. Now, I must hold the line on this program. I have no more time left today.

This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Frank Beardsley. I'm Rich Kleinfeldt.