kept off
Held at bay
Kept off is the past tense of keep off, meaning to stay away from or prevent contact with something.
A sign reading "keep off the grass" warns people not to walk there; if they obeyed, they kept off.
The phrase extends to avoiding topics, substances, or behaviors: She kept off alcohol for six months.
To keep something off is to prevent it from landing or settling: The awning kept the rain off.
- abstentionFormal refusal to vote
- distanceSpace between two points
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
- no trespassingPosted boundary warning
- interdictionAuthoritative prohibition or blockade
off limits · evasion · guarding · warded off · exclusion · banishment · hands off · fended off · prohibition · at bay · diversion · removal · separation · held back · deterrence · shielding · repelled · defense