hold the fort

To "hold the fort" means to take care of a place and make sure nothing goes wrong. This could refer to something as big as a large corporation or something as small as a home. It is used when the person who normally takes care of things there has to go away and he leaves someone else in charge to "hold the fort." This implies that there is some level of responsibility on the person left in charge. In other words, there is something that could possibly go wrong that he has to watch out for. It could also just imply that something has to be done while the usual person in charge is away. It implies a level of trust and also implies encouragement. ”がんばれ！”か”たのむぞ！”って感じ。 Common ways to use this expression are: "I'm counting on your to hold the fort." "You're in charge. Hold the fort until I get back." "I want you to hold the fort while I'm gone." A mother who has to go out on an errand might say this to her husband if she has to leave him alone to watch the kids. A parent might even say this to an older child that is left to look after his/her younger brothers and sisters for a little while. A manager might say this to another worker he has left in charge if he has to leave the company for a while on a business trip or a family emergency. A: So, how long will you be gone on your business trip? B: I'll be gone about two weeks. I'm counting on you to hold the fort while I'm gone. A: You can count on me, sir. B: Don't forget we have to finish Project X by next week. A: Yes, sir. This expression comes from the days of the old west when forts had to be defended against the Native Americans or some other enemy. To "hold the fort" meant to hold off the attackers and keep the fort safe.