to check; to stop; to keep back
彼女は涙を押し留めた。
She held back her tears.
警察が来るまで客を押し留めていた。
Bystanders restrained the customer until the police arrived.
技術者たちは突然の水流を土嚢で押し留める。
The engineers try to hold back the sudden water surge with sandbags.