tenir en respect

You use this phrase when someone is being kept in check. It usually involves a bit of tension. You can use it literally, like a guard keeping a crowd back. You can also use it figuratively. Maybe you’re using your sharp wit to keep a pushy salesperson away. You conjugate the verb tenir normally. For example: Il les tient en respect. It sounds strong and decisive. It’s not a 'soft' phrase. Use it when you want to sound like you’re in control of a tricky situation.

Use it in stories or when describing a tense standoff. It’s great for talking about sports defense. A good defender tient l'attaquant en respect. You can use it at work if you are managing a difficult client. It implies you are maintaining a professional boundary that they dare not cross. Use it when you feel like a boss who isn't taking any nonsense today. It’s perfect for describing how a fence keeps a dog away too.

Don't use this to mean you admire someone. If you respect your teacher, just say J'ai du respect pour mon professeur. If you say you tiens them en respect, it sounds like you’re pointing a gadget at them! Also, don't use it for being lucky. That would be avoir de la chance. Using tenir en respect at a birthday party might make people think there's a security threat. Keep it for situations involving boundaries, distance, or control.

This phrase has a military soul. Historically, it referred to soldiers keeping the enemy from advancing by pointing their weapons. The 'respect' here is the 'fear' or 'deference' commanded by a weapon. It’s about the space created by a threat. In French culture, maintaining a certain distance (la pudeur) is valued. While this phrase is aggressive, it reflects the importance of boundaries in French social dynamics. It’s a very 'cinematic' expression often heard in French police thrillers (polars).

You might hear maintenir en respect. It means the exact same thing but feels slightly more continuous. Sometimes people use garder à distance, which is the polite, non-aggressive cousin of our phrase. If you want to be more modern, you might say recadrer quelqu'un. That means putting someone back in their place. But for that classic, high-stakes feeling of control, nothing beats the original phrase.