Onthoud

Onthoud is the imperative form of the Dutch verb onthouden, meaning to remember or to keep in mind. It is used to tell someone to recall information or to keep something in memory, often in instructions, warnings, or reminders. For example, you might say: Onthoud dit goed; onthoud wat ik zei.

The verb onthouden also has a second sense: to abstain from or refrain from something. In this use, the reflexive form zich onthouden is common, as in iemand zich onthoudt van iets, meaning someone abstains from or refrains from doing something (for example, zich onthouden van stemmen during a vote).

Conjugation and forms: In the present tense, ik onthoud, jij onthoudt, hij onthoudt, wij onthouden, jullie onthouden, zij onthouden. The imperative forms are onthoud (singular) and onthoudt (plural). The past tense is onthield or onthielden in the simple past, and the past participle is onthouden, used with hebben (bijvoorbeeld: Ik heb het onthouden).

Etymology and usage notes: The word combines houden (to hold) with the prefix ont- that appears in many Dutch verbs, shaping the sense of keeping something in memory or, in other contexts, refraining from action. In daily language, onthoud is most often encountered as a direct reminder to remember something; in formal or legal contexts, zich onthouden appears to denote abstention.

See also: onthouden as a general concept of memory; zich onthouden as abstention.