Hi this is tutor Nick P and this is Verb Phrase 200. The verb phrase today is to
keep down. Okay. So again it's another common one and we actually have eight
meanings and uses that we will cover today. So let's take a look the first one.
So when we say keep down, it could mean this. It could mean make sure
something cannot move from its position by putting something on it or by
fastening it or by tying it or tying it down. All right. And here's the first
example. I usually put a paperweight on these on these papers to keep them down
just in case a gust of wind blows in the window. So you try to keep them down so
they don't blow away or blow off the table or something like that. All right. Number two.
To maintain at a low level or prevent from increasing. Okay. The president
released some emergency reserves of oil to keep the price down. Yeah. Maybe
something happened. Maybe I don't know. Maybe some bomb went off somewhere or
something happened that suddenly made the oil price spike and he didn't want
it to go up too much. Maybe that won't be good for the economy. So a lot of times
they will release oil reserves in a case like this. You know, just to keep the oil
on price under control. So that's what he's trying to do here. Okay. Number three
here. To maintain something in a lowered position. Okay. Here we say keep the
awning ... the awning you know, like coming down like from a store or
someplace, especially one that could be like rolled up and rolled down or
retractable. You know, it goes down and it could go back up. But you want ... here you wan to ....
you're telling people to keep it down. So keep the awning lowered down in case
it starts to rain. Well, this could be a very cloudy day that you're not sure if
it will rain. You don't want it to start raining and then
run and do it. Where things will get wet. So you want this awning to be lowered
to stay in the lowered position. So this wouldn't be a fixed one. This would be
one that would be movable. Okay. Number three here. Keep the anchor. Keep, keep
down the anchor. So the docked boat won't float away. Yeah so, on boats sometimes
they have an anchor there. So because you know, the waves might just carry
the boat and boat might start to float away on its own. So that's what we say. So
keep down the anchor. So the docked boat won't float away. Right. Good number four
here. To keep down ones potential from improving. Okay. Good. The media station is
always criticizing that politician in an attempt to keep down his poll numbers. So
they're trying to limit his success or even stop his success. Something like
that. That's the way we we say... we're trying to stifle or hurt ones potential.
Maybe for whatever reason. You don't want them to be a success. All right.
Number five here. To avoid vomiting after eating when one is ill or nauseous. Yeah.
So here's the example. I got a case of food poisoning. You know, when you get
food poisoning a lot of times you throw up a lot. I haven't been able to keep any
food down all day. So if you say haven't been able to keep any food down that
means you probably threw up several times that day. You can't keep it down.
You can't keep the food inside of you. Your body is revolting and forcing it to
come out. So that's what it means , but you cannot keep it down here. All right.
Number six. To maintain the level of noise Yeah. We use it with noise a lot too
or sound at a low volume. All right. So here it may be somebody saying can you
keep the volume down ? Maybe somebody was saying the volume high or music loud. It
is disturbing the other neighbors. So to keep down the volume. Keep down the noise.
All right number seven. To keep spending under control. Okay. That company is
trying to keep costs down. So they're trying to keep the spending under
control. You know, not wasted or okay. Number eight here. To hold in a protected
or a hidden position. So sometimes we say that. This could be like in a war like
situation. You know, maybe, maybe somebody is like in a foxhole or
something. And maybe the other soldiers is telling him keep your head down or
the enemy may put a bullet in it. So , yeah. So stay down. Stay in this protected or
hidden position. Okay. Good. I hope you got it. I hope it was clear. I hope it's
informative. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.