keep someone away from something 3: We have worked to sup- port your preventive programs that keep children out of drugs and violence. keep someone down • keep someone under keep someone down—1. (also: hold someone down) cause a person to remain in a lower position: John tried to look in that direction but a crisscrossing hail of laser fire kept him down . 2. (also: hold someone down) oppress or hold back a per- son: He told me that “every company” he had worked for had incompetent management and was trying to keep him down . 3. (UK) make a child remain in the same class for a second year: If she failed her examinations again, Jane would be kept down next year. keep someone under—1. cause a person to remain beneath smth.: I was filming when I went over the falls and the white water kept me under nearly all the way to the beach. 2. = keep someone down 2: Everywhere you heard the leaders saying, “It is going to be very difficult to keep the people under .” 3. make a person remain unconscious (under the action of anesthesia): He is under more sedation…. They will keep him under until at least late tomorrow. See also: hold someone up / keep someone up. keep someone in something • keep someone to something keep someone in something—provide a person with smth. such as food, etc.: The uniforms were goofy, but the food was free and the money kept me in clothes and rock music. keep someone to something—1. cause a person to talk about smth. without letting his attention wander: Your patient may require guidance to keep him to the subject in hand. 2. make a person do what has been agreed: He wished to relinquish his last year at Harvard, and Cynthia had to summon all her forces to keep him to his promise of staying. keep someone on track • keep track of someone keep someone on track—keep a person focused on a task, etc.: Stephen begins to speak softly and I keep him on track by moving my finger along with the words he reads. keep track of someone—continue to be informed or know about smb.: Has anyone even seen John recently? He’s been so busy lately we can’t even keep track of him. keep something dark • throw light on something keep something dark —keep smth. secret: Latham had given the impression that he knew all about the subject but wanted to keep it dark . throw light on something—(also: shed light on something) clar- ify or explain smth.: An Australian fossil related to a species known in Argentina may throw light on the continent’s geo- graphical past. keep something for oneself • keep something to oneself keep something for oneself—save smth. for one’s own use: I actually bought you those slippers, but liked them so much I decided to keep them for myself. keep something to oneself—keep information, etc. secret from other people: Please continue to keep these facts to yourself for a little while longer, Paul. keep something in mind • keep something in one’s head keep something in mind —remember and think about smth.; not forget smth: We have no vacancies now, but we’ll certainly keep your application in mind . Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase keep one’s mind on something—(also: have one’s mind on some- thing) continue to pay attention to smth.; not be distracted from smth.: She merely sat very still while he attended to the inter- view he could no longer keep his mind on . keep something in one’s head—be able to retain in memory smth. such as facts, figures, etc.: I don’t know how the chair- man keeps all these data in his head . keep the ball rolling • keep the pot boiling keep the ball rolling —(also: keep the wheels turning) keep an activity, process, etc. going: The first step is to feed your body healthy food so you’ll have the energy to keep the ball rolling . keep the pot boiling —1. earn enough money to provide one’s livelihood: Not only has doing portraits of people kept the pot boiling , it has also led to my meeting some famous people. 2. = keep the ball rolling: We will keep the pot boiling on this until David is released because this is a question of basic dem- ocratic rights. Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase keep the home fires burning—keep things at home going as usual (while smb. is away): These women kept the home fires burning as they patiently waited until the wheels of the war stopped turning and their husbands were home. keep the seat warm • warm the bench keep the seat warm—occupy a position temporarily for a person who is not yet ready or qualified to hold it: They are using Kim to just keep the seat warm till they find somebody who can win them an election. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase keep one’s seat—(also: hold one’s seat) 1. remain seated: Bartlet entered the room. Everyone started to stand, but the Governor motioned for them to keep their seats . 2. keep from falling: Though aided by the high-bowed “mountain-saddle” I could scarcely keep my seat on horseback. 3. retain one’s posi- tion, membership in parliament, etc.: Despite his bribery con- viction, Nakamura kept his seat in two elections. warm the bench—(Sport) sit among the substitute players during a game: Aherne has warmed the bench much more assiduously than he has passed the ball. See also: bench warmer / chair warmer. keep the wheels turning • spin the wheels keep the wheels turning —(also: keep the ball rolling) keep an activity, process, etc. going: His class interest tells him to sup- ply the public with as much purchasing power as possible, to keep the wheels turning . spin the wheels —(U.S. coll.) act in a listless or unproductive manner: You will have to spend at least two hours studying on your own, and it has to be time well spent, rather than “spinning the wheels .” See also: put one’s shoulder to the wheel / set the wheels in motion. keep to oneself • retire into oneself keep to oneself—(also: keep oneself to oneself ) remain unso- ciable; avoid meeting other people: He’d kept to himself on that trip, not really making eye contact or talking to the locals. retire into oneself—become quiet and unwilling to talk: When she saw that complaints did not alter me, she retired into herself , as it were; and I saw less and less of her. keep up with the times • time-keeper keep up with the times—remain informed about the latest news, fashions, etc.: For people who keep up with the times , this is the perfect opportunity to check out new products. time-keeper —1. a person who records or manages the time: Band members will wait for the instruction of the time-keeper before going on stage. 2. (UK) an employee considered in keep someone down – 206 –