Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - keep down

1. If you keep the number, size, or amount of something down, you do not let it get bigger or go higher. The prime aim is to keep inflation down... Administration costs were kept down to just ?460. PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V P n (not pron) 2. If someone keeps a group of people down, they prevent them from getting power and status and being completely free. No matter what a woman tries to do to improve her situation, there is some barrier or attitude to keep her down. = hold back PHRASAL VERB: V n P, also V P n (not pron) 3. If you keep food or drink down, you manage to swallow it properly and not vomit, even though you feel sick. I tried to give her something to drink but she couldn’t keep it down. PHRASAL VERB: V n P