keep somebody/something ↔ down phrasal verb (see also keep)

1. to prevent the size, cost, or quantity of something from increasing or being too great:
We need to keep costs down.

2. to succeed in keeping food in your stomach, instead of bringing it up again out of your mouth, when you are ill:
I could hardly keep anything down for about three days.

3. used to ask someone to make less noise:
Keep your voice down – she’ll hear you!
Can you keep it down – I’m trying to work.

4. to prevent a group of people from becoming as successful and powerful as the other people in a society:
Plantation owners kept slaves down by refusing them an education.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

keep down
keep (someone) down
1.
to make someone discouraged.
The loss of his job has really kept him down.

2.
to not advance someone.
Why would someone so capable be kept down by his superiors?

keep (something) down
1.
to prevent something from increasing.
We need to keep down our costs.

2.
to not vomit food or liquid.
I was sick most of the day and couldn't keep anything down.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

keep something down
keep (something) down
1.
to prevent something from increasing.
We need to keep down our costs.

2.
to not vomit food or liquid.
I was sick most of the day and couldn't keep anything down.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

keep down
1. • keep (something) down
keep food in one's stomach (without vomiting it up when sick)
The child was sick and found it difficult to keep his food down.

2. • keep down (something)
keep from progressing or growing, keep within limits, control
The students were told to keep down the noise as some of the other classes were having exams.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

keep down something
• keep down (something)
keep from progressing or growing, keep within limits, control
The students were told to keep down the noise as some of the other classes were having exams.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

keep something down
• keep (something) down
keep food in one's stomach (without vomiting it up when sick)
The child was sick and found it difficult to keep his food down.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

keep down
v. Keep from progressing or growing; keep within limits; control.
The children could not keep their voices down.
We hoe the garden to keep down the weeds.
You can't keep a good man down.
Compare: GET AHEAD.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

keep someone down
keep (someone) down
1.
to make someone discouraged.
The loss of his job has really kept him down.

2.
to not advance someone.
Why would someone so capable be kept down by his superiors?

keep (something) down
1.
to prevent something from increasing.
We need to keep down our costs.

2.
to not vomit food or liquid.
I was sick most of the day and couldn't keep anything down.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲