Keep down

keep down & keeps down keeping down kept down kept down

1. keep ... down p.v. When you keep the cost, quantity, or amount of something down, you keep it a low level.

The company tried to keep its prices down.

They wanted a smalt wedding, but they have such large families that it was hard to keep the number of guests down.

2. keep... down p.v. When you keep the volume of noise, music, or conversation down, you keep it at a low level. When people are being noisy and you want them to be quieter, you tell them to keep it down.

290

Will you please keep it down; I'm trying to study.

You kids can watch TV, but keep the volume down — your mother is taking a nap.

1. keep from p.v. When you keep from doing something, you do not do it even though it is hard not to.

I was so angry that I don't know how I kept from punching that guy in the nose.

The movie was so sad that I couldn't keep from crying.

2. keep... from p.v. When you keep people from doing something, you stop them from doing it.

Jim's girlfriend's parents don't like him, and they try to keep him from seeing her.

When I was young, my poor health kept me from doing a lot of things the other kids did.