kept back

Verb

keep back (third-person singular simple present keeps back, present participle keeping back, simple past and past participle kept back)

1. (transitive) To hold back; to refuse to give or share.
2. (intransitive) To stay back; to refrain from approaching.
3. (transitive) To restrict or restrain.
   • Germany eased off in the second half and this was a night when Joachim Löw, like Southgate, took the opportunity to keep back his best XI.2017 November 10, Daniel Taylor, “Youthful England earn draw with Germany but Lingard rues late miss”, in The Guardian (London)
4. (transitive) To prevent (a pupil) from advancing in a course.