held within

Definitions

• to keep something secret or private
  Describing something that is known by only a select few people and not shared with others

• to be under control or restrained
  Indicating that something is being contained or controlled, often emotions or feelings

Examples of held within

• The answers to all your questions are held within this book.

  The information required to answer all your questions is contained within this book. The idiom "held within" is used in this context to indicate that the required information is present or contained inside the book.

• The key to success is held within your own mind.

  The required qualities or attributes for achieving success are believed to be present or contained within a person's own thoughts and mental capabilities. The idiom "held within" is used in this context to indicate that these qualities are present or contained inside a person's mind.

• The potential for greatness is held within every human being.

  It is believed that every person has the innate capacity for achieving great things. The idiom "held within" is used in this context to indicate that this potential is present or contained inside every human being.

• The secret to happiness is held within your own heart.

  The required conditions or factors for achieving happiness are believed to be present or contained inside a person's own heart or emotions. The idiom "held within" is used in this context to indicate that these factors are present or contained inside a person's heart.

• The answers to all your questions are held within the pages of this book.

  This idiom suggests that all the necessary information or solutions are contained within a particular place or thing. In this example, the book serves as a vessel for all the answers to the questions that the reader may have.

• Her inner strength and resilience are held within her fierce determination.

  Here, 'held within' indicates that the source or essence of someone's strength can be found inside them, in this case, within their determination.

• The secrets of the ancient civilization were held within the ruins of their once-great city.

  This usage implies that valuable or hidden information or revelations can be harboured or concealed within a specific place, in our example, the ruins of the city.

• The key to his success lay held within the secret formula that he had developed in his garage.

  In this instance, 'held within' suggests that an integral or crucial element is stored or kept safe somewhere, in our example, the garage, and is essential to achieving success.

Conclusion

The idiom "held within" can be used to describe keeping something secret or private, or to indicate that something is under control or restrained. It can be used in various contexts to convey the idea of not revealing information or keeping emotions in check.

Origin of "held within"

The origin of the idiom "held within" comes from the concept of containment or control. The word "held" implies a sense of being kept or restrained, while "within" suggests something being contained or kept inside. This idiom likely originated from the idea of internalizing emotions or thoughts and not expressing them outwardly. Over time, it has evolved to encompass a broader meaning of secrecy or control in various situations.

Examples of the idiom can be found in literature, where characters may be described as having emotions "held within" or secrets that are "held within" themselves. It is a versatile phrase that can be applied to different scenarios where something is kept hidden or controlled.