phrasal verb · neutral
keep down
UK/kiːp daʊn/US/kip daʊn/KEEP·down
speakingtask2
to reduce the level or amount of something (noise, prices, population), or to suppress feelings or resistance
Examples
“Please keep the volume down during the exam.”
“The government tried to keep inflation down.”
“He kept his anger down so the meeting didn't explode.”
Band 8 sentence
“Local councils impose fines to keep noise levels down in residential areas at night.”
Collocations
- keep noise down
- keep costs/prices down
- keep someone down
Word family
keep down phrasal verb (base)keeps down verb (3rd sg)keeping down gerund/present participlekept down past / past participle
Common mistakes
Keep down the noise please.→Keep the noise down please.
They kept down to the protests.→They kept down the protests.
Say it for a higher band
5reduce→6lower→7+keep down
Synonyms
reduce
suppress
Easily confused
turn down
“She turned down the radio because it was too loud.”
Related words
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In keep …
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