How to sign “Held” in BSL
Step by step
- Make a firm fist with your dominant hand, wrapping your thumb across your fingers.
- Raise the fist to the middle of your chest, holding it a short distance in front of your body.
- Turn your wrist so the back of your hand faces forward, with your knuckles pointing away from you.
- Hold the fist still in that position for a moment, keeping your other hand relaxed at your side.
Practice tip
Past form of “Hold” — signed with the base sign; time is shown separately, not on the verb.
Fingerspell “Held”
Letter by letter with the two-handed BSL alphabet — a handy backup if you forget the sign above. This is not the sign itself.
Note: H and J use a small movement in BSL fingerspelling — each image shows the starting position.
Text-based guide researched from BSL-specific references (BSL SignBank, BDA-adjacent teaching materials and BSL dictionaries) and rewritten in original words. Signer-created photos and videos are a planned future upgrade. BSL has regional variation — this is the most widely taught form.