keep back

rester en retrait, se tenir à distance

Rester à une distance sûre au lieu de s’approcher.

En anglais simple : To stay at a safe distance instead of coming closer.

• Please keep back!
• We kept back from the flames.
• The children must keep back while the machine is running.

Comment l'utiliser : keep back from something (Keep back from the edge of the platform.)

Synonymes : stay back, stand back

Contraires : approach

Expressions courantes : keep back from something, please keep back

retenir, dissimuler

Refuser de donner quelque chose à quelqu’un ou de lui dire tout ce qu’on sait.

En anglais simple : To refuse to give someone something or tell them everything.

• She kept back some details.
• Why did you keep that information back?
• The company kept back part of his wages.

Comment l'utiliser : keep something back from someone (He kept the news back from his family.)

Synonymes : withhold, hold back, conceal

Expressions courantes : keep back information, keep something back

retenir, contenir

Empêcher quelqu’un ou quelque chose d’avancer ou de s’approcher.

En anglais simple : To stop someone or something from moving forward or getting closer.

• The guards kept us back.
• A fence keeps the animals back from the road.
• Can this rope keep the spectators back?

Comment l'utiliser : keep someone/something back (The barrier kept the crowd back.)

Synonymes : restrain, hold back

Contraires : release

Expressions courantes : keep someone back, keep back crowds

faire redoubler

Faire répéter une année scolaire ou un cours à un élève au lieu de le laisser passer au suivant.

En anglais simple : To make a pupil repeat a school year or course instead of moving to the next one.

• The school kept her back.
• They kept two pupils back for another year.
• Will he be kept back if he fails the exams?

Comment l'utiliser : keep someone back (The school kept him back because he had missed too many lessons.)

Synonymes : hold back, retain

Contraires : promote

Expressions courantes : keep someone back, keep back a pupil