transitive verb
1. to deliberately hold back; restrain.
Although she was furious at work, she withheld her anger until she got home.
Please withhold judgement on the matter until you’ve considered all the facts.
Knowing how sensitive he was about his appearance, she withheld comment on his strange new haircut.
2. to refrain from giving.
They withheld food and water from the prisoner until he told them what they wanted to know.
The company withheld his pay while he was in the hospital.
His mother had been a cold and stern woman who had withheld affection from all of her children.
intransitive verb
to refrain.