hold down the fort
Keep things running
Hold down the fort means to maintain responsibility for something while the person normally in charge is away: Can you hold down the fort while I'm on vacation?
The phrase suggests keeping things running smoothly and handling any problems that arise.
Some use "hold the fort" without "down," with identical meaning.
- watchPortable timekeeping device
- stand guardMaintain protective surveillance
- maintainKeep in condition
- manageDirect or handle successfully
- guardWatchful defensive attention
stand-in · garrison · post · on duty · oversee · deputy · control · stewardship · protect · babysitting · sustain · shopkeeping · secure · substitute · continuity · fill in · proxy · interim
hold down the fortdrop the ball
Fail at a critical moment
dereliction of duty · abandon ship · leave in the lurch · walk away · bail out
hold down the fortwalk away
Depart from something
abandon ship · go missing · take off · disappear · fly the coop
hold, holds, holding, holder, holders, holdout, holdover, down, downer