get ahold of
Grab it, reach somebody, or finally get something.
Also called get aholt of, get a hold of.
Updated September 21, 2026
get ahold of pronunciation
/get uh-HOHLD uv/
Meaning
Covers a few related moves: take a firm grip on a thing, track somebody down by phone or in person, or manage to obtain what you need. In mountain talk you also hear "get aholt of," same job with a harder T at the end. Context tells you whether somebody means "grab that end of the couch" or "call Uncle Ray."
How folks use it
- “See if you can get ahold of the feed store before they close.”
- “Get ahold of that rope and don't let go.”
Origin and etymology
From ahold, dialect for a firm hold, built on a + hold. Appalachian English records both ahold and aholt in Civil War letters and later mountain speech. "Get ahold of" spread through American informal English for contact and obtaining things, while rural Southern mouths often keep the aholt sound.
Frequently asked questions
Is aholt different from ahold?
Same meaning. Aholt is just how ahold often sounds when Southern and Appalachian speakers say it.