hold good

hold good (third-person singular simple present holds good, present participle holding good, simple past and past participle held good) (intransitive)

1. To be true; to hold true.

   • The law does not hold good in this matter.

     The law holds not good for them.

2. To remain fast, secure or effective.
   • 1906, Alfred Noyes, The Highwayman:

     She twisted her hands behind her; but all the knots held good.

     She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat or blood.

     They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years,

     Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,

     Cold, on the stroke of midnight,

     The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!