keep down
Third Person
keeps down
Present Participle
keeping down
Past Tense
kept down
Past Participle
kept down
1
to maintain something at a low level and prevent it from increasing
- The company has worked to keep down production costs to remain competitive.
- Regular exercise can help keep down cholesterol levels.
- The city is taking measures to keep down pollution levels.
- We must find ways to keep down expenses in our household budget.
- The goal is to keep inflation down to ensure economic stability.
Synonyms:
2
to retain food or liquids in the stomach without throwing them up
- She's had some water, but she can't keep any food down.
- After experiencing severe nausea, he struggled to keep down his breakfast.
- The flu made it difficult for her to keep any medication down.
- They were concerned about his ability to keep down the spicy meal.
- The seasickness made it challenging to keep anything down during the boat trip.
Antonyms:
3
to restrict someone or a group from freely expressing themselves or asserting their opinions and rights
- The authoritarian regime has attempted to keep down any opposition or dissent.
- Some societies have a history of trying to keep down certain minority groups.
- The setbacks in her career didn't keep Jane down; she persevered and achieved her goals.
- Students protested against the university's attempt to keep their freedom of speech down.
- Throughout history, oppressive governments have sought to keep down the voices of the people.
4
to control or lower the volume or intensity of something to prevent it from becoming too loud
- Please keep the music down; the neighbors are trying to sleep.
- We need to keep the noise down in the library to maintain a quiet atmosphere.
- The teacher asked the students to keep their voices down during the exam.
- It's essential to keep down the volume in the hospital's waiting room.
- Let's keep down the music at this hour to respect our neighbors.
5
to lower or hide one's body to avoid being noticed
- The soldiers had to keep down to avoid being spotted by the enemy.
- When playing hide-and-seek, the children tried to keep down in the tall grass.
- He kept down behind the bushes to observe the wildlife without disturbing them.
- During the game of "Duck, Duck, Goose," the kids tried to keep down to avoid being chosen.
- The spy had to keep down to remain inconspicuous in the crowded room.