where does the phrase 'no holds barred' come from?

Answer 1

Wresting. No wrestling holds will be against the rules = no holds barred.

Answer 2

Introduced much earlier than many of the earlier respondents think!

Meaning: Without restrictions or rules.

Origin:

The holds here are wrestling holds and that's where the phrase originates. Wrestling has long been an Olympic sport, administrated by FILA, the sport's governing body. There are sets of rules for each of the various styles of wrestling. Prior to the formation of rules, wrestling was a free-form affair. There was no need to mention any such phrase as no holds barred, as that was taken for granted. It wasn't until after the sport became regulated that bouts where those rules didn't apply were billed as such.

The earliest reference I can find to no holds barred is from Manitoba Daily Free Press, February 1892:

"Wm. Gibbs, the Kansas man, and Dennis Gallacher, of Buffalo, engaged in a wrestling match at the opera house here tonight. Gibbs was strangled into insensibility and may die. The conditions of the match were best two in three falls Greco-Roman style; no holds barred."

Forms of contemporary no holds barred wrestling in which rules are thrown out the window are Hardcore Wrestling and Cage Fighting.

Answer 3

The phrase actually comes from the sport of wrestling (the sport, not the TV stuff).

"Real" wrestling has very strict rules, and certain "holds" are indeed "barred," or not permitted. There are also similar rules in boxing.

Thus, a wrestling or boxing match where there were no rules of conduct imposed would be a "no holds barred" brawl.

"No holds barred" in a figurative sense meaning "no restrictions" first appeared around 1942, and is often used today to describe any event, such as a debate or talk-show, where the participants are free to express themselves in any manner they choose.

Answer 4

Meanwhile, "hold" meaning "grasp" is a very old word we inherited from Old English, and can be traced back to a prehistoric Germanic root meaning "to watch or guard." The Oxford English Dictionary lists fourteen separate definitions "hold" has acquired over the years as a noun, and one of them, dating back to the early 18th century, is "hold" meaning a grip or tactic in wrestling. Real wrestling (as opposed to the WWF clown shows so popular today) has very strict rules, and certain "holds" are indeed "barred" or not permitted. Similar rules pertain in boxing. Thus an impromptu boxing or wrestling match (most likely in a barroom or other informal setting) where there were no rules of conduct imposed would be a "no holds barred" brawl. "No holds barred" in a figurative sense meaning "no restrictions" first appeared around 1942, and is often used today in the context of the "shouting heads" TV shows such as CNN's "Crossfire."

ie: Chokehold=legal, ankle lock=legal, wrist lock=legal, etc.


list of illegal moves in amateur/olympic wrestling:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_wrestling#Illegal_moves

origin of text:
http://www.word-detective.com/102502.html

Answer 5

"This expression comes from wrestling, where certain holds are illegal, or barred, and has been used figuratively since about 1940"

Answer 6

A wrestling term meaning without any rules or constraints

Answer 7

yes, wrestling but it was common place in the 1888-1898 era
as were best two in three, catch-as-catch-can. By 1900 it was used in other situations.

Answer 8

sounds a little bit naughty to me.

Answer 9

wrestling or boxing i would think