This is the 1487th most frequent Dutch word.
aanhouden
"To persist," "to arrest," or "to stop/detain," depending on context.
In this sentence, 'aanhouden' means 'to arrest'. It is used in the context of law enforcement detaining a person who is suspected of committing a crime.
De politie besloot om de verdachte aan te houden.
The police decided to arrest the suspect.
Here, 'aanhouden' implies 'to pause or hold off'. It refers to suspending or delaying an activity or interaction temporarily.
Kunnen we deze discussie op een ander moment voortzetten? Laten we het gesprek voorlopig aanhouden.
Can we continue this discussion at another time? Let's hold off the conversation for now.
In this instance, 'aanhouden' means 'to maintain'. It is used in the context of keeping a constant or steady state, such as speed in this case.