hold down the fort

A form of hold the fort — To assume or take responsibility, especially in another's absence.

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Meanings

verbhold down the fort (third-person singular simple present holds down the fort, present participle holding down the fort, simple past and past participle held down the fort)

present singular third person holds down the fort · participle present holding down the fort · participle past held down the fort · past held down the fort

  1. USalternativeAlternative form of hold the fort.
Cite this entry
APA

hold down the fort. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20down%20the%20fort

MLA

“hold down the fort.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20down%20the%20fort. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hold down the fort,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20down%20the%20fort.

Source: hold down the fort on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.