English edit

Verb edit

keep down (third-person singular simple present keeps down, present participle keeping down, simple past and past participle kept down)

  1. (transitive) To repress.
    The dictatorial state keeps down its dissidents very efficiently.
  2. (transitive) To restrain or control (a sound).
    We must keep the noise down, or the neighbours will complain.
    Keep it down in there! Some of us are trying to sleep!
  3. (transitive) To cause not to increase or rise.
    It is essential to keep the numbers down to avoid overcrowding.
  4. (transitive) To retain in the stomach without vomiting.
    It is difficult to keep anything down when you have the flu.
  5. (intransitive) To lie low. To stay concealed by not standing up
    You had better keep down or they will see you.

Usage notes edit

In all transitive senses the object may appear before or after the particle. If the object is a pronoun, then it must be before the particle.

Derived terms edit

Anagrams edit