hold your fire

hold (one's) fire

1. To cease or pause firing a firearm. Hold your fire, men—wait until they have crested the hill before attacking. Tell your men to hold fire! We surrender!
2. By extension, to stop attacking, harassing, or criticizing someone or something. He's asking his legions of fans to hold their fire in their online attacks against his accuser.
See also: fire, hold

hold your fire

1. Stop shooting. Used as a command, especially for military troops. Hold your fire—there are civilians present!
2. Don't speak, especially in a critical or angry manner. I know you're mad at the kids, but hold your fire until we get the whole story of what happened.
See also: fire, hold
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hold your fire

or

hold fire

1. If you hold your fire or hold fire, you wait and do not do anything for a while. We are holding fire on our assessment of the situation until a detailed analysis can be made.
2. If you hold your fire or hold fire, you delay attacking or criticizing someone. The administration will hold its fire until it sees the detail of the bill, but is likely then to oppose it. Note: These expressions are also used literally to talk about a situation where soldiers stop shooting, or wait before they start shooting.
See also: fire, hold
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

hold your ˈfire


1 delay or stop shooting for a while: Hold your fire! I think they’re going to surrender. OPPOSITE: open fire (on somebody/something)
2 stop attacking somebody: She told the journalists to hold their fire. If they didn’t listen to her, how would they know what she thought?
See also: fire, hold
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • hold (one's) fire
  • hold fire
  • hold one's fire
  • miss fire
  • cease fire
  • open fire on (someone)
  • under fire
  • have a/(one's) finger on the button
  • draw (someone's) fire
  • draw someone's fire
References in periodicals archive
Hancock understands it was a case of "hold your fire" when the stars of the show - these fire-juggling burlesque dancers - took to the stage to grab everyone's attention ...
Ray's shot in the dark; Hancock
But hold your fire on this one, which is set during the famous airdrop before the invasion at Normandy in World War Two, as you take on the role of Sgt Matt Baker during the historic eight- day invasion of Normandy.
Play
so if you're not already on, hold your fire and you may get a decent price on the day.
HAVE A BET WITH BOYCIE: My bets all off across the Board; The inside track on sports betting
Hold Your Fire! Keep in mind that pesticides cannot differentiate between the good and the bad guys, so quite often beneficial insects, like mantids and honey bees, fall victim to your good intentions.
10. Tips for organic pest control: nature photographer Clay Bolt shares his gardening insights
Hold your fire on the first race just so you can experience the feeling of smugness that you're better off than 95% of the rest of the crowd.
Dodge Douvan in the Supreme
Well, hold your fire. terek's chairman claims Gullit (above) wasn't sacked because of results but because of his "partying" lifestyle.
Fight for Ruud's right to party!
MOVE over Doctor Who and hold your fire Robin Hood - Catweazle is on his way back to the screen!
TV LAND: Diamond Weazer.
So if you do fancy Chelsea, you've got to hold your fire.
RESULT!: Chelsea's midweek fraught special; IN ASSOCIATION WITH betfair