hold down
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle down
Meanings
Keep someone or something restrained
Why “down”? Something is pressed down and kept from rising again.
“Two staff members held the man down until help arrived.”
“Hold the map down so the wind does not take it.”
Don't confuse with
Hold down means keep someone or something restrained. Hold out means resist or last for a particular time.
Hold down means keep someone or something restrained. Hold in means keep contained.
Hold down means keep someone or something restrained. Hold behind means keep someone or something back from going forward.
Test yourself
“Two staff members held the man down until help arrived.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
hold behind
A contrast learners often mix up
Keep someone or something back from going forward
hold in
A contrast learners often mix up
Keep contained, refusing to release
hold out
A contrast learners often mix up
Resist or last for a particular time
hold up
A contrast learners often mix up
Raise and keep raised; Delay a person or process
bog down
Same down pattern: pressure
Slow or get stuck
bring down
Same down pattern: pressure
Cause something to fall or land; Make something lower in level or amount; Cause a government or leader to lose power; Make someone feel sad or depressed
clamp down
Same down pattern: pressure
Impose strict control
crack down
Same down pattern: pressure
Take strict action against bad behaviour
Tell it apart
Side-by-side comparisons with the verbs learners most often confuse for “hold down”.
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