Meaning

noun a negotiator who hopes to gain concessions by refusing to come to terms

noun a refusal by a negotiator to come to terms in the hope of obtaining a better deal

noun the act of hiding playing cards in a gambling game so they are available for personal use later

originEtymology tree English hold outdeverb. English holdout Deverbal from hold out.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0