to hold good
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To be valid, or applicable. We say "such and such a proverb is very true, but it does not hold good in every case," i.e. it does not always apply.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to hold good” mean?
To be valid, or applicable. We say "such and such a proverb is very true, but it does not hold good in every case," i.e. it does not always apply.
Is “to hold good” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.