verb
Meaning 1
To hold back; to refuse to give or share.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Phrase guide
keep back
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
verb
Meaning 2
To stay back; to refrain from approaching.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To restrict or restrain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To prevent (a pupil) from advancing in a course.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
hold back; refuse to hand over or share
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The father is withholding the allowance until the son cleans his room
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: withhold
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: deny, refuse
Narrower terms: freeze, block, immobilize, immobilise, keep to oneself, deny, reserve, deprive
verb
Meaning 6
secure and keep for possible future use or application
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The landlord retained the security deposit
- I reserve the right to disagree
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: retain, hold, hold back
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: keep, hold on
Narrower terms: hold down
verb
Meaning 7
keep under control; keep in check
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- suppress a smile
- Keep your temper
- keep your cool
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: restrain, keep, hold back
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: inhibit, bottle up, suppress
Narrower terms: hold, confine, inhibit, bottle up, suppress, control, hold in, contain, check, curb, moderate
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
16 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: задържам (zadǎržam) — restrict or restrain
- Bulgarian: скривам (skrivam) — restrict or restrain
- Danish: tilbageholde — restrict or restrain
- Dutch: terughouden — restrict or restrain
- Esperanto: reteni — restrict or restrain
- French: retenir — restrict or restrain
- German: zurückhalten — restrict or restrain
- Hungarian: visszatart — restrict or restrain
- Irish: coisc — restrict or restrain
- Italian: ritenere — restrict or restrain
- Latin: reprimō — restrict or restrain
- Latin: dētineō — restrict or restrain
- Norwegian: holde tilbake — restrict or restrain
- Portuguese: reter — restrict or restrain
- Spanish: retener — restrict or restrain
- Swedish: hålla tillbaka — restrict or restrain