Now, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES,a VOA Special English programabout American expressions.40]with expressions madeusing the word hold."Can't hold a candle to"is a popular expression.It is from the timebefore electricity,when people used candlesfor light.Someone who livedin a big house would havea servant light his wayby holding a candle.The expression meantthat the personwho cannot hold a candleto you is not fiteven to be your servant.Now, it means such a personcannot compare or compete.In the following song,singer Dolly Parton tellsher new lovethat her old flames,her old lovers,cannot compare with him.(MUSIC)Another expression is"hold your tongue."It means to be stilland not talk."Hold your tongue"is not somethingyou would tell a friend.But a parent or teachermight use the expressionto quiet a noisy child."Hold out" is an expressionone hears oftenin sports reports and labor news.It means to refuseto play or work.Professional footballand baseball players hold outif their team refuses to pay themwhat they think they are worth.Members of labor unions hold outand refuse to work until theyget the work agreement they want.The expression "hold up"has several different meanings.One is a robbery.A man with a gun may say,"This is a hold up.Give me your money."Another meaning is to delay.A driver late for workmay tell his boss,"I was held up by heavy traffic."Someone who was robbedon the way to work might say,"Sorry, boss, I washeld up by a hold up."Still another meaningof the expressionis for a storyto be considered trueafter an investigation.The same driver latefor work could say,"My boss did not believea hold up held me up.But the police confirmedwhat I said so my story held up.""Hold on" is another expression.Often it means wait or stop.As you leave for school,your brother may say,"Hold on, you forgot your book."Our final expressionis "hold the line."That means to keep a problemor situation from getting worse,to hold steady.For example,the president may sayhe will hold the line on taxes.He means there will beno increase in taxes.Now, I must hold the lineon this program.I have no more time left today.(MUSIC)This VOA Special English program,WORDS AND THEIR STORIES,was written by Frank Beardsley.