minimum

keep (something) to a minimum

1. To refrain from using or creating something very much or at all. Audience members are being asked to keep noise to a minimum for the duration of the performance. The candidates kept personal attacks to a minimum during the debate. Real-world slang and idioms should be kept to a minimum, or your fantasy settings may seem inauthentic to readers.

2. To ensure that something is not used or does not occur much or at all. The banks have done a much better job at keeping fraudulent activities to a minimum. The government has laid out its plans for keeping carbon emissions to a minimum moving forward.

See also: keep, minimum, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

keep something to a minimum

to make something as small, few, or little as possible. Do what you can to keep construction dust to a minimum. The dust should be kept to a minimum.

See also: keep, minimum, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.