keep one's head above water
To survive or endure, especially in a situation in which one is struggling to avoid…To survive or endure, especially in a situation in which one is struggling to avoid being overwhelmed by adverse financial circumstances.
» Tom kept his head above the water.
CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
2 senses(idiomatic)To survive or endure, especially in a situation in which one is struggling to avoid being overwhelmed by adverse financial circumstances.
Near-synonym: tread water
sich über Wasser halten
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: maintain an above-water position of one's head so as not to drown in the water.
Near-synonym: tread water
Examples
37 sentencesTom kept his head above the water.
Tom barely managed to keep his head above water.
Tom kept his head above water.
Keep a bucket of water nearby.
ruДержи рядом ведро с водой. — marafon
Always keep a bucket of water handy, in case of fire.
ruВсегда держите ведро воды под рукой на случай пожара. — odexed
deHalte immer einen Eimer Wasser bereit, wegen der Feuergefahr! — freddy1
Translations
3 languagesBy meaning 1
Forms
keeps one's head above water, keeping one's head above water, kept one's head above water, kept one's head above water| Base form | keep one's head above water · to keep one's head above water |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | keeps one's head above water |
| Present participle | keeping one's head above water |
| Past simple | kept one's head above water |
| Past participle | kept one's head above water |
irregular · Lesson
Present simpleLesson
| I, you, we, they | keep one's head above water |
| he, she, it | keeps one's head above water |
Past simpleLesson
| all persons | kept one's head above water |
Present perfectLesson
| I, you, we, they | have kept one's head above water |
| he, she, it | has kept one's head above water |
Future simple (will)Lesson
| all persons | will keep one's head above water |
Synonyms
1 synonymsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle