take hold

idiomatic phrase

1

: to grasp, grip, or seize something

took hold and hung on tight

—often used with of

take hold of the railing

… she took hold of his arm with both her hands, and looked up eagerly—oh, with such terrible eagerness!—into his face.

—Anthony Trollope

—often used figuratively

As word of the subpoenas spread … confusion and hysteria took hold of the social set …

—Bob Colacello

I did not want Merlin to retire from the job until I was ready to take hold of it effectively myself …

—Mark Twain

2

: to become effective, established, or popular

The change in the law has not yet taken hold.

… a swath of land that has been spared from lava flows long enough that rich vegetation has had a chance to take hold.

—G. Brad Lewis

… here in central California the French aesthetic has recently taken hold.

—Rebecca Coffey

Examples of take hold in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Fungi took hold of some vines, and had to be dealt with hastily. —Vivek Wadhwa, Fortune Europe, 19 Oct. 2024

Despite this, drama took hold between Cooper and the Browns after he was reportedly offered up to the San Francisco 49ers in trade talks surrounding fellow wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. —Vincent Frank, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024

However, in recent years, a new spooky ritual has also taken hold: witch paddles. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Oct. 2024

The trend marks a recent turnabout from sluggish housing prices that had taken hold in the city in the aftermath of the 2008 Great Recession. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1