keep down

keep down
phrasal verb [transitive]
Word forms "keep down":
present tense I/you/we/they keep down he/she/it keeps down present participle keeping down past tense kept down past participle kept down
1) to control something and prevent it from increasing in size or number

We have to try and keep costs down.

The cats help to keep down the rats.

2) to stop someone from achieving what they are capable of achieving

Even if you're intelligent, they still try to keep you down.

3) to succeed in keeping food in your stomach although you feel as if you want to vomit

I'd eat something if I thought I could keep it down.

4) to make a noise less loud

Keep it down! I'm trying to sleep.

5) to control people in such a strict or cruel way that they have very little freedom or very few rights

These immigrants were kept down for decades.


English dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • keep\ down — v Keep from progressing or growing; keep within limits; control. The children could not keep their voices down. We hoe the garden to keep down the weeds. You can t keep a good man down. Compare: get ahead …   Словарь американских идиом

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  • keep down — Synonyms and related words: asphyxiate, beat down, bottle up, break, browbeat, bulldoze, bully, castrate, censor, choke off, clamp down on, coerce, compel, cork, cork up, cow, crack down on, crush, damp down, daunt, deprive of freedom, despotize …   Moby Thesaurus

  • keep down — transitive verb Date: 1548 1. to keep in control < keep expenses down > 2. to prevent from growing, advancing, or succeeding …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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