hold/keep (something/someone) in check

to keep something or someone under control, usually to stop them becoming too large or too powerful.

The natural order of things is that the predators of an animal keep the population in check.

The central banks' action seemed at the time to be holding the dollar in check.

• come to your senses
• come true
• come turn up trumps
• come under fire
• come under the hammer
• come unglued
• come unstuck
• come up
• come up against a brick wall
• come up in the world
• come upon
• come upon someone
• come upon something
• come up smelling like a rose
• come up smelling of roses
• come up to scratch
• come up up trumps
• come up with
• come up with something
• come what may
• come within an ace of
• come within an ace of doing something
• come within an ace of something
• come within an inch of
• come within an inch of doing something