hold at bay

Meaning

1. Oxford100% of films

   to prevent an enemy from coming close or a problem from having a bad effect

   I doubt a human could keep her at bay.

   He experimented with many ways to keep it at bay.

In the movies · 2

• I doubt a human could keep her at bay.Avengers: Age of Ultron2015
• He experimented with many ways to keep it at bay.Mary Reilly1996
• Back home, I could hold him at bay with a spell or two.The Smurfs2011
• I've talked it over with Hoover, he'll hold McCarthy at bay while you do this with the AEC.Oppenheimer2023
• The mask holds the pain at bay.The Dark Knight Rises2012

Learn it in full scenes

• Oppenheimer2023
  • Bohr Sends Oppenheimer to Göttingen
  • Strauss Offers Oppenheimer a Job
  • Rabi Meets Oppenheimer on a Train

From the same entry

• at bay

More idioms

• in the blink of an eye
• in the event of
• in the public eye
• not for a minute
• play hard to get
• step out of line
• the ins and outs
• there is more to than meets the eye
• throw under the bus
• what makes tick
• in private
• a world of difference