hold down
HighInformal to neutral. Common in everyday speech, business contexts, and news.
Definition
Meaning
To keep something in a low or controlled position; to physically restrain or maintain.
To keep a job or position for a period of time; to prevent something from rising, increasing, or escaping; to manage to maintain control or stability over a situation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The phrasal verb implies an effort or struggle to maintain a state of restraint, limitation, or continuity. It often carries a nuance of difficulty or active management.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is virtually identical in meaning and frequency. Minor differences may occur in typical collocates (e.g., job types).
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. Slightly more formal alternatives exist (e.g., 'retain a job', 'restrain').
Frequency
Equally common in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
NP hold down NP (transitive)hold down NP for NP (duration)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hold down the fort (to maintain a situation in someone's absence)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to discuss controlling costs, retaining employees, or managing market prices.
Academic
Less common; may appear in economics or social sciences discussing factors that suppress variables.
Everyday
Very common for discussing employment and managing household expenses.
Technical
In engineering/physics, can mean to apply a constant force to keep an object in place.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He's struggling to hold down a job while studying.
- The government aims to hold down inflation.
- Can you hold down that tarpaulin in the wind?
American English
- She held down a managerial position for ten years.
- We need to hold down expenses this quarter.
- Hold the tent down with these stakes.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Hold down the paper so it doesn't fly away.
- She holds down a job at the supermarket.
- It's hard to hold down a job when you travel often.
- They used rocks to hold down the picnic blanket.
- The new policy is designed to hold down healthcare costs.
- He managed to hold down a demanding full-time job while writing his novel.
- Several economic factors are helping to hold down the rate of inflation.
- Her resilience allowed her to hold down the fort during the company's restructuring.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine physically HOLDing a bouncing ball DOWN on a table to stop it from jumping up. This image captures both the physical and metaphorical 'keeping under control' meanings.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTROL IS HOLDING DOWN (Suppressing something is preventing it from rising/escaping). STABILITY IS A PHYSICAL ANCHOR.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation with 'держать внизу'. For jobs, use 'удерживать работу' or more naturally 'проработать долго на одном месте'. 'Hold down the fort' is an idiom not related to military fortresses; it means 'оставаться за главного' or 'присматривать'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'hold up' instead of 'hold down' (opposite meaning). Incorrect preposition: 'hold down on' is usually redundant. Using it for very temporary physical restraint (better: 'hold still').
Practice
Quiz
What is the meaning of 'hold down the fort'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a separable phrasal verb. You can say 'hold the costs down' or 'hold down the costs'.
Yes, commonly for abstract things like costs, prices, inflation, a job, or emotions.
They are often interchangeable, especially for costs or nausea. 'Hold down' slightly emphasizes active effort or struggle, while 'keep down' can be more general maintenance.
Usually not. 'Hold down' typically takes a direct object. 'Hold down on' is sometimes used in specific contexts like 'hold down on the button', but 'hold down the button' is more standard.