English-Swedish translations for keep up appearances

• hålla skenet uppe
  Under annonseringen av kandidaterna försökte man inte ens att hålla skenet uppe.During the announcement of candidacies there was not even an attempt to keep up appearances.
  Det var viktigt att hålla skenet uppe och inte ge europeiska medborgare intryck av att en federal stat höll på att upprättas.It was important to keep up appearances and not give European citizens the impression that the structures of a federal state were being put in place.
  Den tvetydigheten kan man inte fortsätta dölja bakom vackra slutförklaringar i vilka man försöker hålla skenet uppe när det gäller den europeiska enhälligheten.This ambiguity cannot remain concealed behind fine sounding final declarations in which attempts are made to keep up appearances of European unanimity.

Definition of keep up appearances

• To pretend to be all right or that everything is going well; to maintain an appearance of wealth, comfort or propriety

Examples

• For my fathers sake, I thought I must keep up appearances, but the food stuck in my throat, and I could not swallow another mouthful.
• With tact and management it would be possible to partially satisfy creditors, and keep up appearances for six months more.

Related words

• keep up
• keep up with
• keep up with the Joneses
• keep up the good work
• keep it up
• keep one's chin up
• keep one's guard up
• keep it simple, stupid
• keep a stiff upper lip