keep a lid on
Hold it in
To keep a lid on something is to restrain or control it, preventing it from getting out of hand: She struggled to keep a lid on her temper.
The phrase often applies to containing information or emotions that threaten to escape: The company tried to keep a lid on the scandal.
Like a pot lid containing steam, the expression suggests active suppression of something that wants to rise.
- hold backPrevent forward movement
- restrainLimit freedom of movement
- hold your fireOrder to stop shooting
- containHold within limits
- clamp downEnforce restrictions suddenly
conceal · control · suppress · stifle · bite your tongue · muzzle · quash · hush · hush hush · zip it · tight-lipped · censorship · cover-up · under wraps · secrecy · bottle · smother · gag order
- expressions about containmentboxed in, bottled up, hemmed in, penned in, locked in
keep a lid onlet loose
Remove restraints from
unleash · release · let out · set free · blow the lid off
keep a lid onblow up
Violently burst apart
let loose · lose control · explode · lose one's temper · fly off the handle
keep a lid onreveal
Make something visible
expose · disclose · let out · let the cat out of the bag · spill the beans
keep, kept, lid, keeper, keeping, keeps, lids, keepers, lidded