Hold me back -- get ready! (7)
I believe the answer is:
embrace
'hold' is the definition.
(embrace is a kind of hold)
'me back get ready' is the wordplay.
'back' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'get ready' becomes 'brace' (bracing is a kind of getting ready).
'me' back-to-front is 'em'.
'em'+'brace'='EMBRACE'
(Other definitions for embrace that I've seen before include "Hug heartily" , "Hold closely, include" , "Hold affectionately" , "Include (in one's arms)" , "Warmly welcome" .)