JCDenton  +  487824 Wed, 12 Mar 08 07:26 AM Hi my englishforums friends, I'm currently making a subtitles to my favourite movie in order to improve my english and I came across there to very interresting idiom:"hold the fort". It means take someones duty or responsibility in his absence... That particular person said Hold down the fort for an hour. I've just got to take care of some stuff. Anyway, please what is the difference between just hold the fort and hold down the fort?? I don't feel the difference between these two phrases, but maybe there is something...I don't know. thank you in advance. With regards JCD JCDenton Joined on Tue, Jul 3 2007 Regular Member 658 Idioms, Regards, Difference Between

	Mister Micawber  +  487829 Wed, 12 Mar 08 07:33 AM  . No difference really-- down is a slight intensifier.  Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,760 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'

	JCDenton  +  487849 Wed, 12 Mar 08 08:39 AM thank you Mr. M. have a nice day.       JCDenton

	Thomas Tompion  +  681813 Mon, 02 Mar 09 07:32 AM I've never heard hold down the fort in British English.  I think we only say hold the fort. Thomas Tompion Joined on Thu, Nov 20 2008 Full Member 120 Thomas Tompion British English, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Languages

	afish19  +  681831 Mon, 02 Mar 09 08:47 AM You actually have, you heard it in your head, in your British English accent, when you read the word. afish19 Joined on Mon, Mar 2 2009 New Member 01 British English, Accents, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Languages