Antonyms for keep back
| Grammar : Verb |
| Spell : keep |
| Phonetic Transcription : kip |
- abandon
- abet
- accede
- accept
- acknowledge
- admit
- advance
- affirm
- agree
- aid
- allow
- approve
- assist
- believe
- calm
- carry out
- claim
- comfort
- complete
- concede
- concur
- confess
- confide
- continue
- corroborate
- credit
- dispatch
- disperse
- distribute
- do
- embrace
- encourage
- exclude
- expedite
- facilitate
- finish
- forward
- free
- further
- give
- go
- go along
- grant
- hasten
- hearten
- help
- hurry
- hurt
- ignore
- include
- indulge
- inspire
- inspirit
- keep
- leave
- let go
- liberate
- light
- loose
- neglect
- offer
- OK
- open
- permit
- promote
- push
- ratify
- release
- reveal
- rush
- sanction
- scatter
- speed
- spend
- spur on
- squander
- start
- support
- tell
- throw away
- trust
- unblock
- uncover
- use
- validate
- waste
- welcome
Definition of keep back
Origin :- late Old English cepan "to seize, hold," also "to observe," from Proto-Germanic *kopijanan, but with no certain connection to other languages. It possibly is related to Old English capian "to look," from Proto-Germanic *kap- (cepan was used c.1000 to render Latin observare), which would make the basic sense "to keep an eye on."
- The word prob. belongs primarily to the vulgar and non-literary stratum of the language; but it comes up suddenly into literary use c.1000, and that in many senses, indicating considerable previous development. [OED]
- Sense of "preserve, maintain" is from mid-14c. Meaning "to maintain in proper order" is from 1550s; meaning "financially support and privately control" (usually in reference to mistresses) is from 1540s. Related: Kept; keeping.
- As in reserve : verb keep, hold back
- As in smother : verb extinguish; cover, hide
- As in hold back : verb repress
- As in bottle up : verb hold in check
- As in check : verb hinder, restrain
- As in contain : verb hold back, control
- As in delay : verb cause stop in action
- As in deny : verb disagree, renounce, decline
- As in disallow : verb reject, prohibit
- As in discourage : verb deter, dissuade; restrain
- As in earmark : verb reserve
- As in hold back/hold off : verb repress
- He had really not enough fortitude in him just then to tell her to keep back.
- Extract from : « The Secret Agent » by Joseph Conrad
- The hair sieve will keep back the other vegetable, the flavour of which only is wanted.
- Extract from : « The Skilful Cook » by Mary Harrison
- The captain could not keep back the speech which was at his tongue's end.
- Extract from : « Fair Harbor » by Joseph Crosby Lincoln
- For the future, if I live, I must keep back some—a little—to bring me to you.
- Extract from : « End of the Tether » by Joseph Conrad
- Paul could not keep back the tears when he saw how kind Uncle Peter was.
- Extract from : « Winning His Way » by Charles Carleton Coffin
- Hallo, keep back there, you are throwing us all into the river!
- Extract from : « The Liberty Boys Running the Blockade » by Harry Moore
- Her fists clenched and she bit her lip to keep back the tears.
- Extract from : « Prairie Flowers » by James B. Hendryx
- What you wish to keep back from my salary may remain for the master's—coffin-nails.
- Extract from : « Debts of Honor » by Maurus Jkai
- Just say, then; is the matter you keep back of the gravest importance, or is it not?'
- Extract from : « A Pair of Blue Eyes » by Thomas Hardy
- I gulped helplessly and for the life of me I could not keep back the tears.
- Extract from : « The Black Wolf Pack » by Dan Beard
Synonyms for keep back
- abjure
- abnegate
- adjourn
- allocate
- arrest
- asphyxiate
- baffle
- ban
- bar
- begrudge
- bide time
- bit
- block
- bottle up
- bottleneck
- box up
- bridle
- bring to naught
- call on
- cancel
- censor
- check
- checkmate
- chill
- choke
- circumvent
- clog
- collar
- collect
- compose
- conceal
- confine
- conserve
- constrain
- contain
- contradict
- contravene
- control
- controvert
- cool
- coop up
- cork
- corner
- counteract
- cover up
- cramp
- curb
- cut short
- dawdle
- debar
- defer
- delay
- deny
- deprecate
- designate
- detain
- deter
- dilly-dally
- disacknowledge
- disadvise
- disallow
- disavow
- disbelieve
- discard
- disclaim
- discountenance
- discourage
- discredit
- disfavor
- disincline
- dismiss
- disown
- disprove
- divert
- doubt
- douse
- drag
- duck
- embargo
- enclose
- encumber
- enjoin from
- entrap
- envelop
- eschew
- exclude
- filibuster
- foil
- forbear
- forbid
- forgo
- forsake
- frighten
- frustrate
- gain time
- gainsay
- halt
- hamper
- harness
- have
- heap
- hinder
- hoard
- hog-tie
- hold
- hold back
- hold down
- hold in
- hold off
- hold over
- hush up
- impede
- indispose
- inhibit
- interfere
- intermit
- interrupt
- inundate
- keep
- keep back
- keep feeling inside oneself
- keep lid on
- keep out
- keep secret
- kill
- label
- lag
- lay over
- lay up
- limit
- linger
- loiter
- maintain
- mark out
- moderate
- muffle
- name
- negate
- negative
- neutralize
- nip in the bud
- nix
- not buy
- nullify
- obstruct
- obviate
- oppose
- overwhelm
- pass on
- pause
- plant
- play for time
- possess
- postpone
- preclude
- preserve
- prevent
- procrastinate
- prolong
- prorogue
- proscribe
- protract
- put away
- put by
- put down
- put half nelson on
- put off
- quash
- quell
- quench
- quiet
- rebuff
- rebut
- recant
- reduce
- refrain
- refuse
- refute
- rein
- rein in
- reject
- remand
- repress
- repudiate
- repulse
- restrain
- restrict
- retain
- retard
- revoke
- sacrifice
- save
- say no to
- scare
- set aside
- shake
- shelve
- shower
- shroud
- shut in
- shut out
- simmer down
- slacken
- slacken pace
- slot
- slow down
- smother
- snub
- snuff
- spurn
- squelch
- squirrel
- squirrel away
- stall
- stamp out
- stash
- stave off
- stay
- stifle
- stockpile
- stop
- store
- store up
- stow away
- strangle
- suffocate
- suppress
- surround
- suspend
- tab
- table
- taboo
- tag
- take exception to
- talk out of
- tame
- tarry
- temporize
- terminate
- throttle
- throw cold water on
- thwart
- trap
- turn aside
- turn down
- turn off
- turn thumbs down
- veto
- warn
- withhold
- zing
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019