Meaning
To stand up or hold true, solid as fact.
Origin
From 16th-century England, tied to buckets; 'hold water' meant no drip, slang by 1570s for true. A 1600s play uses it for a tale's test.
Variants
- Hold the water
Usage Examples
- His story doesn't hold water; full of holes.
- That plan holds water; let's try it.
- Does it hold water? Check the facts.