holding down the fort

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiominformal

   Looking after a place or situation, especially while others are away, so that things keep running normally.

   Grammar: Adapts to the tense: hold down the fort, held down the fort.

   Patterns

   • hold down the fort
   • hold down the fort while someone is away

   I'm holding down the fort at the office while everyone is at lunch.

   She stayed home holding down the fort when the kids were sick.

   Can you hold down the fort until I get back from the store?

2. 2phraseidiominformalhumorous

   Managing alone, or managing the work of a team, despite pressure or short staffing.

   Grammar: Often used with a time or place: hold down the fort all week.

   Patterns

   • hold down the fort alone

   With three nurses off sick, Maria was holding down the fort by herself.

   He held down the fort on the night shift for a month.

Common combinations

hold down the fort

Someone has to hold down the fort on holidays.

left holding down the fort

I was left holding down the fort when the manager quit.

holding down the fort alone

He spent the week holding down the fort alone.

holding down the fort at home

Mom is holding down the fort at home today.

Synonyms and how they differ

minding the shop

Minding the shop is more British and suggests a small, routine duty, while holding down the fort can imply difficulty.

keeping things running

Keeping things running is plainer and literal, without the playful picture of defending a fort.

covering

Covering means taking over someone's duties and is more neutral, with no sense of guarding a place.

Word family

hold verb

to keep or maintain

fort noun

a strong building for defense

holdout noun

someone who refuses to give in

Practice

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Write a sentence using “holding down the fort”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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