verb
1. keep under control; keep in check
-
suppress a smile
-
Keep your temper
-
keep your cool
• Hyponyms:
↑hold, ↑confine, ↑inhibit, ↑bottle up, ↑suppress, ↑control, ↑hold in, ↑contain, ↑check, ↑curb, ↑moderate
• Verb Frames:
-
Somebody ——s somebody
-
Somebody ——s somebody PP
2. secure and keep for possible future use or application
-
The landlord retained the security deposit
-
I reserve the right to disagree
• Hyponyms: ↑hold down
• Verb Frames:
-
Somebody ——s something
-
They keep back the money
3. hold back; refuse to hand over or share
-
The father is withholding the allowance until the son cleans his room
• Syn: ↑withhold
• Derivationally related forms: ↑withholder (for: ↑withhold), ↑withholding (for: ↑withhold)
• Hyponyms:
• Verb Frames:
-
Somebody ——s something from somebody
* * *
keep back (or keep someone/something back)
remain (or cause someone or something to remain) at a distance
he had kept back from the river when he could
* * *
keep back [phrasal verb]
1 : to not go near something
The police asked the spectators to keep back. [=stay back]
The guide told us to keep back from the edge of the cliff.
— usually used as (be) kept back
Students who fail the exam may be kept back a year.
He struggled to keep back his tears. [=he tried hard not to cry]
• • •
Main Entry: ↑keep
Useful english dictionary. 2012.