at bay

Idioms  

1. Cornered, in distress, as in Angry bystanders chased the thief into an alley and held him at bay until the police arrived. This idiom originally came from hunting, where it describes an animal that has been driven back and now faces pursuing hounds. Its use for other situations dates from the late 1500s.

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Example Sentences

"But as Tolkien wrote, it's the small, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay, small acts of kindness and love," he said.

From Barron's

I can’t focus on anything enough to keep them at bay.

From Literature

He thought of his father, always so afraid, always anxiously holding the world at bay.

From Literature

Arteta said it was crucial to concentrate on the positives as he seeks to keep City and Villa at bay.

From Barron's

The SDF relied on the U.S. to hold Mr. Sharaa at bay until he would agree to fair terms for national integration.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• captured
• cornered