Tenir le coup

Expression: Tenir le coup

Pronunciation: [teu neer leu koo]

Meaning: to cope, hold up, handle; to stay the course

Literal translation: to hold the blow

Register: normal

Notes: The French expression tenir le coup can be used for both people and things. For people, tenir le coup means to cope with a difficult situation. For things, it indicates that something is holding up, such as evidence or the economy.

Examples:

   Ça a été un choc atroce, mais il tient le coup.
   It was a terrible shock, but he's coping.

   Je ne pense pas que l'économie puisse tenir le coup.
   I don't think the economy can hold up.

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