Idiom
Keep at bay
If you keep something at bay, you stop it from coming too close, getting worse or causing you harm.
How people use it
People keep illnesses, hunger, boredom, worries, pests and rivals at bay: "A warm scarf helps keep the cold at bay." The usual pattern is "keep something at bay," with the thing in the middle, and "hold at bay" means the same. It often suggests a temporary win; the problem is still there, just held back. The tone is neutral, so it suits health articles, news and everyday talk.
Also said: hold at bay.
Examples
- Leo drinks lots of water and gets plenty of sleep to keep colds at bay.
- The campers lit candles to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
- Reading a good book helps keep boredom at bay on long flights.
Where it comes from
The phrase comes from hunting. When a hunted animal such as a deer could run no farther, it turned and faced the hounds, which barked around it. The animal was then said to be "at bay," and by facing the dogs it could keep them at bay for a time. "Bay" here comes from an old French word linked to barking, the same root as a hound's bay. The figurative use goes back several centuries.
Check yourself
1. What does it mean to keep hunger at bay?
Answer: To stop yourself from getting too hungry. Keeping something at bay means holding it back so it can't affect you.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: A tall fence keeps the deer at bay and away from the garden.. Keeping something at bay means holding it off, like a fence keeping deer out.
Similar idioms
Word game fan? See every word hiding in BAY.