keep back
[verb]
Synonyms: keep, detain, hold, hold back, keep out, reserve, retain, withhold, deny, disallow, refuse

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

keep back phrasal verb (see also keep)

1. keep something ↔ back to deliberately not tell someone all that you know about something:
I got the feeling he was keeping something back.

2. keep something ↔ back to not show your feelings, even though you want to very much:
She was struggling to keep back the tears.

3. keep somebody ↔ back to prevent someone from being as successful as they could be Synonym : hold back:
Fear and stereotypes have kept women back for centuries.

4. keep something ↔ back especially British English to not give or pay something that you were going to give:
They kept back some of his wages to pay for the damage.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

keep back
v. phr. To refrain or be restrained from entering; remain back.
The police had a hard time keeping back the crowd when the astronauts came to town after walking on the moon.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲