[Idiom] HOLD THE PHONE. - Explore Phrases for Pausing Conversations
Hold the phone.
wait or stop
The phrase 'Hold the phone' is a colorful way to tell someone to pause or stop what they are doing or saying. Originating from the era when telephones were predominantly used with cords, telling someone to 'hold the phone' literally meant to physically hold the telephone's handset, thereby pausing the conversation. Today, it's used more broadly to mean 'wait a moment' or 'hold on', especially in lively discussions where one might interject with a surprising or important point that requires immediate attention.
Example Sentences
Hold the phone, what did you say?
Wait a moment, what exactly did you just say?
Hold the phone, we might need to check those numbers again.
Pause for a moment; we should recheck those figures.
Just hold the phone, let's review the plan one more time.
Hold on, let's go over the plan once more.