As a result, planes were kept in a holding pattern, sometimes three or four miles apart, until they were cleared to land.

结果，飞机均被保持在等待航线状态，有时相隔三四英里，直至它们得到降落指示。

"The Hewlett-Packard news brings a better tone to the market, which has been in a kind of holding pattern," said one trader.

“惠普的消息带给一直处于停滞的市场一个较好的基调，”一位贸易商说道。

I have lost a total of 19 pounds and have been pretty much in a holding pattern for the past three to four weeks.

我的体重共减少了19磅，过去三四周没什么变化。