2 definitions found

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

withholding

noun

1: the act of deducting from an employee's salary

2: income tax withheld from employees' wages and paid directly to the government by the employer [syn: {withholding tax}]

3: the act of holding back or keeping within your possession or control; "I resented his withholding permission"; "there were allegations of the withholding of evidence"

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Withhold \With*hold"\, verb (used with an object) [imp. {Withheld}; p. p. {Withheld}, Obs. or Archaic {Withholden}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Withholding}.] [With again, against, back + hold.]

1. To hold back; to restrain; to keep from action.

Withhold, O sovereign prince, your hasty hand From knitting league with him. --Spenser.

2. To retain; to keep back; not to grant; as, to withhold assent to a proposition.

Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold Longer thy offered good. --Milton.

3. To keep; to maintain; to retain. [Obs.]

To withhold it the more easily in heart. --Chaucer.
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