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

"This awoke not just Michoacan, but all of Mexico," she told AFP while surrounded by bodyguards to keep would-be assassins at bay.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

The Federal Reserve has two main jobs: to keep unemployment low and inflation at bay.

From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026

Now the market is in a protracted funk and a stalemate between banks and crypto firms has kept a legislative breakthrough for digital assets at bay.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Los Angeles County public health officials offer suggestions on how you can keep rodents at bay, which include:

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

Gwydion stood as a wolf at bay, his green eyes glittering, his teeth bared.

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander

Related Words

• captured
• cornered