keep back

keep back
verb
1. keep under control; keep in check
-

suppress a smile

-

Keep your temper

-

keep your cool

• Syn: ↑restrain, ↑keep, ↑hold back
• Derivationally related forms: ↑restrainer (for: ↑restrain), ↑restraint (for: ↑restrain)
• Hypernyms: ↑inhibit, ↑bottle up, ↑suppress
• 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

• Syn: ↑retain, ↑hold, ↑hold back
• Derivationally related forms: ↑holding (for: ↑hold), ↑retention (for: ↑retain)
• Hypernyms: ↑keep, ↑hold on
• 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)
• Hypernyms: ↑deny, ↑refuse
• 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.

2 keep (someone) back or keep back (someone)
2 a : to not allow (someone) to go near something

The police kept the spectators back.

2 b US : to not allow (a student) to advance to the next grade level
— usually used as (be) kept back

Students who fail the exam may be kept back a year.

2 c Brit : to require (a student) to stay at school after classes have ended

She was kept back [=(US) kept after, kept after school] for talking in class.

3 keep (something) back or keep back (something) : to not allow (something) to appear or be known

He struggled to keep back his tears. [=he tried hard not to cry]

The government kept back [=withheld] some crucial information from the media.

• • •
Main Entry: ↑keep

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • keep back — keep back, keep out *keep, retain, detain, withhold, reserve, hold, hold back …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • keep back — index arrest (stop), check (restrain), constrain (restrain), constrict (inhibit), delay …   Law dictionary

  • keep back — phrasal verb Word forms keep back : present tense I/you/we/they keep back he/she/it keeps back present participle keeping back past tense kept back past participle kept back 1) [transitive] to not tell someone something, or to not show how you… …   English dictionary

  • keep back — 1) PHRASAL VERB If you keep back part of something, you do not use or give away all of it, so that you still have some to use at a later time. [V P n (not pron)] Roughly chop the vegetables, and keep back a little to chop finely and serve as a… …   English dictionary

  • keep back — /ˌki:p bæk/ verb to hold on to something which you could give to someone ● to keep back information or to keep something back from someone ● to keep £10 back from someone’s salary …   Dictionary of banking and finance

  • keep back — v. (D; tr.) to keep back from (they kept her back from the crowd) * * * [ kiːp bæk] (D; tr.) to keep back from (they kept her back from the crowd) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • keep back (from somebody) — ˌkeep ˈback (from sb/sth) derived to stay at a distance from sb/sth • Keep well back from the road. Main entry: ↑keepderived …   Useful english dictionary

  • keep back (from something) — ˌkeep ˈback (from sb/sth) derived to stay at a distance from sb/sth • Keep well back from the road. Main entry: ↑keepderived …   Useful english dictionary

  • keep back — Synonyms and related words: abstain, arrest, backpedal, backwater, block, bosom, bottle up, brake, bridle, check, classify, clip the wings, conceal, confine, conserve, constrain, contain, control, cool, cool off, countercheck, curb, curtail, dam… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • keep back — I (Roget s IV) v. 1. [To delay] Syn. check, hold back, impede, hold up; see delay 1 , hinder . 2. [To restrict] Syn. restrain, inhibit, hold in check; see forbid , hinder , restrict 2 . 3. [To refuse to reveal] Syn. withhold, reserve, keep to… …   English dictionary for students

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