Search
Select the dictionary language
to keep back
[phrase form: keep]
01
to prevent a feeling, emotion, or reaction from being expressed or displayed
Examples
She could n't keep back her tears when she heard the sad news.
He struggled to keep back his laughter during the serious meeting.
02
to withhold or refuse to reveal information to someone
Examples
I have a feeling that she 's keeping back important details about the project.
The detective suspected that the witness was keeping back key information.
03
to set aside a portion of something for a specific purpose, often for personal use or future needs
Examples
He decided to keep a portion of his earnings back for future investments.
She advised her friend to keep back a bit of the cake for a midnight snack.
04
to maintain a distance from someone or something, usually for safety reasons
Examples
The lifeguard instructed swimmers to keep back from the dangerous currents.
Pedestrians were asked to keep back from the accident scene to allow emergency responders access.
05
to prevent someone from getting too close to another person or thing
Examples
The security guards were instructed to keep back anyone without proper identification.
The police used barriers to keep back the protesters from approaching the government building.
06
to require a student to repeat a grade or year at school due to poor academic performance
Examples
The school decided to keep back some students in the second grade to provide additional support.
James was kept back a year in high school to catch up on his studies.
07
to require a student to stay at school beyond normal hours for disciplinary reasons
Dialect
British
BritishExamples
The teacher decided to keep him back after school for talking during class.
They were kept back for detention as a consequence of their misbehavior.
