Nautical Term: Hold

Definition of Hold

A hold on a ship refers to the enclosed and sealed compartment where cargo, supplies, and sometimes even passengers are carried during the voyage. For instance, in the following paragraph, the term ‘hold’ is used to describe the cargo compartment of a ship: ‘The shipment of sugar from the Caribbean islands to Europe was a significant economic activity during the colonial era. The sugar was loaded into the holds of the cargo ships and transported across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe.’

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