keep down

The phrase "keep down" is versatile, used in various contexts to imply suppression, control, or maintaining a low level.

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Definition

B2General

(common)To prevent something from increasing or rising.

Example

We need to keep down our expenses to save money.
Measures were taken to keep down the cost of living.

B2Social

(negative)To control or repress someone or something.

Example

The regime has kept the people down for decades.
He struggled to keep down his anger.

B2Health

(informal)To retain food or drink in the stomach without vomiting.

Example

She was too sick to keep anything down.
I hope I can keep down this medicine.

B1Informal

(request)To reduce noise or be quieter.

Example

Could you keep it down? I'm trying to study.
Please keep your voice down in the library.

B2Action

(tactical)To stay in a lower position or remain hidden.

Example

The soldiers were ordered to keep down to avoid being seen.
Keep down until the danger passes.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "keep down":

bring down damp down dampen down hold down keep one's head down take down a notch talk down go down put down make down get down tone down turn down press down lay low tamp down bring down on keep in cut down live down keep at weigh down quiet down move down come down fasten down down low quieten down take down keep from keep back hush down argue down hold it down cut down to size water down duck down come down on shoot down knock down pin down back down call down down with let down dumb down hold back pull down keep quiet get down on come down to down to sugar down send down scale down drop behind beat down on the down-low cast down tie down look down lower the boom drop down pipe down slow down