If you keep back part of something, you do not use or give away all of it, so that you still have some to use at a later time.
Roughly chop the vegetables, and keep back a little to chop finely and serve as agarnish. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
[Also VERB noun PARTICLE]
2. phrasal verb
If you keep some information back, you do not tell all that you know about something.
Neither of them is telling the whole truth. Invariably, they keep something back. [VERB noun PARTICLE]
[Also VERBPARTICLE noun]
See full dictionary entry for keep
keep back in British English
verb(adverb; often foll byfrom)
1. (transitive)
to refuse to reveal or disclose
2.
to prevent, be prevented, or refrain from advancing, entering, etc
Examples of 'keep back' in a sentence
keep back
Pour in the bubbling fruit, but keep back about a quarter of the juice.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Otherwise, get moving to keep back pain at bay.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Season, then add balsamic vinegar and most of the olive oil, keeping back about half a tablespoon.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Chinese translation of 'keep back'
keep back
vt
(= reserve)[paint, ingredients]保留 (bǎoliú)
⇒ Keep back enough juice to make the sauce.留足够的汁做调味汁。 (Liú zúgòu de zhī zuò tiáowèizhī.)
(= conceal)[information]隐(隱)瞒(瞞) (yǐnmán)
⇒ I can't help feeling he's keeping something back.我总觉得他在隐瞒着什么。 (Wǒ zǒng juéde tā zài yǐnmánzhe shénme.)
vi
不靠近 (bù kàojìn)
⇒ Keep back or I'll shoot.别向前，不然我就开枪了。 (Bié xiàngqián, bùrán wǒ jiù kāiqiāng le.)
See keep
Nearby words of
keep back
keen
keep
keep away
keep back
keep down
keep fit
keep from
All related terms of 'keep back'
keep up
( maintain : standards ) 维(維)持 wéichí ⇒ It's important to keep up our standards. → 维持水准是很重要的。 Wéichí shuǐzhǔn shì hěn zhòngyào de.
keep to
( observe : agreement ) 遵守 zūnshǒu
keep out
( intruder, unwelcome visitor ) 阻拦(攔) zǔlán ⇒ a guard dog to keep out intruders → 阻止闯入者的看家狗 zǔzhǐ chuǎngrùzhě de kānjiāgǒu
keep on
▶ to keep on doing sth 继(繼)续(續)做某事 jìxù zuò mǒushì ⇒ They kept on walking for a while in silence. → 他们继续走了一会儿，谁都没说话。 Tāmen jìxù zǒule yīhuìr, shuí dōu méi shuōhuà.
keep off
使不接近 shǐ bù jiējìn ⇒ a bamboo shelter to keep the rain off → 挡雨的竹棚 dǎngyǔ de zhúpéng ⇒ Keep your dog off my lawn! → 别让你的狗接近我的草坪！ Bié ràng nǐ de gǒu jiējìn wǒ de cǎopíng!
keep in with
搞好关(關)系(係) gǎohǎo guānxì ⇒ Now he is getting old he wishes he had kept in with his family. → 他年纪大了，后悔当初没有多亲近家人。 Tā niánji dà le, hòuhuǐ dāngchū méiyǒu duō qīnjìn jiārén.
keep in
( invalid, child ) 不让(讓)外出 bù ràng wàichū
keep from
▶ to keep from doing sth 克制 kèzhì ⇒ She bit her lip to keep from crying. → 她咬着嘴唇克制着自己不要哭。 Tā yǎozhe zuǐchún kèzhìzhe zìjǐ bù yào kū.
keep down
( control : prices, spending ) 控制 kòngzhì ⇒ We want to try and keep costs down. → 我们想尽量压缩费用。 Wǒmen xiǎng jǐnliàng yāsuō fèiyòng.
keep away
▶ to keep sth/sb away (from sth) 使某物/某人不要来(來)(某处(處)) shǐ mǒuwù/mǒurén bù yào lái (mǒuchù) ⇒ Keep animals away from the kitchen. → 别让动物到厨房里。 Bié ràng dòngwù dào chúfáng li.