i'll have to put you on hold. — A polite way to ask someone to wait during a phone call while you attend to something else
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: A polite way to ask someone to wait during a phone call while you attend to something else
Pronunciation (IPA): /aɪl hæv tə pʊt ju ɑn hoʊld/
Example Sentences
- I'll have to put you on hold - my cat just knocked over my coffee and it's everywhere!
- Can I put you on hold while I find your reservation?
- I'll have to put you on hold - there's a dinosaur at my door asking for directions.
i'll have to put you on hold.
NOUN[/aɪl hæv tə pʊt ju ɑn hoʊld/]
A polite way to ask someone to wait during a phone call while you attend to something else

A polite way to ask someone to wait during a phone call while you attend to something else

Even when it's cold, manners are worth gold - I'll have to put you on hold!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The verb 'hold' derives from Old English 'healdan', meaning 'to grasp' or 'to keep'. Following the invention of the telephone, the phrase 'on hold' developed to describe the action of keeping a call in a suspended state, metaphorically 'holding' the connection.
Breakdown
put (place) + on hold (in a state of suspension or waiting). The phrase combines the transitive verb 'put' with the prepositional phrase 'on hold', where 'hold' retains its original sense of maintaining or keeping something in a particular state.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“I'll have to put you on hold - my cat just knocked over my coffee and it's everywhere!”
“Can I put you on hold while I find your reservation?”
“I'll have to put you on hold - there's a dinosaur at my door asking for directions.”
“Let me put you on hold and transfer you to our technical support team.”
📚Related Words
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