hold down

British  

verb

1. to restrain or control

2. informal to manage to retain or keep possession of

   to hold down two jobs at once

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hold down Idioms  

1. Also, keep down . Limit, restrain, as in Please hold down the noise . [First half of 1500s] Also see keep down .

2. Work at or discharge one's duties satisfactorily, as in He managed to hold down two jobs at the same time . [ Colloquial ; 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Insurers that do a better job of holding down costs can use payments to lower premiums and offer supplemental benefits like dental care and gym memberships.

From The Wall Street Journal

Following the financial crisis, the Fed began buying longer-term bonds in an effort to further spur the economy by holding down long-term interest rates.

From Barron's

“Raising the policy interest rate in a timely manner could curb future inflationary pressure and lead to holding down long-term interest rates,” the member said.

From The Wall Street Journal

She described it as a "trend of holding down multiple secret jobs...made popular on TikTok, Instagram".

From BBC

The initial results didn’t describe me: difficulty holding down a job; impulsive; unfinished projects; car accidents; a life of chaos!

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abolish
• censor
• conceal
• contain
• crack down on
• crush
• curb
• cut off
• muzzle
• overcome
• overthrow
• put an end to
• put down
• quash
• quell
• quench
• repress
• silence
• snuff out