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Glite Dictionary
to keep one's head down

to keep one's head down

41 6.3
Avoid getting noticed to stay out of trouble
  • idiom
translation icon : mantener un perfil bajo
  • Tammy didn't hold her hands together as if in prayer or anything, but she kept her head down and seemed to concentrate.
  • Just keep your head down
  • keep your head down and work
  • Stay inside and keep your head down

Examples

  • But listen, he said, listen, I'm O.K., I'm smart, I'm gonna keep my head down and get out of here.

    Blog text (6)

  • You've got to stay in the truck and keep your head down.

    Brian and Charles (2022)

  • Just keep your head down.

    Civil War (2024)

  • I was taught to keep my head down, work hard and not draw attention to myself, you know?

    She Said (2022)

  • I just kept my head down and my eyes closed.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • You just had to keep your head down and work.

    Blog text (30)

  • Keep your head down and your mouth shut.

    Rescue Dawn (2007)

  • Colin sat red-faced in the principal's office, and Mary Etta kept her head down during this admission.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • To avoid any conflict with the management, she decided to keep her head down at work.

  • During the heated debate, he chose to keep his head down and not express his opinions.

Synonyms

to stay out of it
vsto keep one's head down
56 3.8

To avoid getting involved in an argument or fight

focuses on avoiding attention to prevent trouble rather than refusing involvement
to keep a low profile
vsto keep one's head down
36 3.9

Act quietly so people do not notice you

is done specifically to prevent trouble or involvement in conflict
to keep to oneself
vsto keep one's head down
27 5.4

To not tell others your thoughts or feelings

aims to avoid attention to prevent trouble rather than simple privacy
to lie low
vsto keep one's head down
  • Informal
14 5.6

To stay out of sight to avoid trouble

avoids attention mainly to prevent trouble or conflict rather than hiding
to pull one's head in
vsto keep one's head down
  • UK
1 9.5

Be quieter and more careful about what you say

is about avoiding attention to prevent trouble rather than simply becoming quieter

Antonyms

to stand out
244 3.2

To be easy to notice because you are different or better

to draw attention
71 2.5

To make people notice something or someone

How Conspicuous

to stand out
244 3.2
to keep one's head down
41 6.3
to hide out
  • Informal
76 5.6

Surface Forms

keep one's head down infinitive
keeping one's head down present participle
keeps one's head down third person singular
kept one's head down past
kept one's head down past participle

Morphology

keep + one + head + down

The meaning is directly inferable from the parts: 'keep' (remain) + 'one's head down' (literally hold the head lowered), and holding one's head down is a common, cross-linguistic way to signal avoidance of attention or trouble. The metaphorical extension from a physical posture to the social strategy is straightforward and follows normal English composition, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely grasp the intended meaning.

Etymology

The idiom keep one's head down may come from a simple picture: when people were in danger they would keep their head down so others would not see them or hit them. So the phrase now means 'to avoid attention or trouble'.