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UKhold water
/hˈəʊld wˈɔːtə/
/hˈoʊld wˈɔːɾɚ/to hold water
[PHRASE]
What is the origin of the idiom "hold water" and when to use it?
The origin of the idiom "hold water" can be traced back to the early 17th century in English. The expression originally referred to the ability of a container to hold water without leaking. If a container could "hold water," it was considered reliable and functional. The expression "hold water" is used to evaluate the validity, logic, or soundness of an argument, explanation, or statement. If an argument or explanation "holds water," it means it is well-reasoned, logical, and can withstand scrutiny or criticism.
Examples
1. Nothing you’ve said so far holds water.
2. So it’s worth pointing out that, just as personal liberty arguments don’t hold water when thinking about fetuses, arguments for pain avoidance are useless when thinking about some cases of euthanasia.
3. No they can hold water up in their gills, so they can stay out of water for a couple of hours.
4. We need some insight from the police from that investigation to see if that theory holds water There really do have to be people out there that remember Ruth.
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