verb
Etymology: hold (I) + down
transitive verb
1.
a. : to keep in subjection
conquered them but had no success in holding them down
b. : restrain , curb
noisy despite all efforts to hold them down
2. : to retain continuously and handle competently (as a job) : hold and keep
a man who had held down some significant political positions
3. : to take care of
some friends held down his grocery business while he was sick
intransitive verb
: to limit oneself
he is not stopping smoking but holding down to three cigarettes a day
•
- hold down on