keep

Plural: keeps

Noun

• the financial means whereby one lives
  • "each child was expected to pay for their keep"
• the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
• a cell in a jail or prison
• The main tower of a castle or fortress, located within the castle walls.
• The food or money required to keep someone alive and healthy; one's support, maintenance.
• The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case.
• A cap for holding something, such as a journal box, in place.
• The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge; notice.
• That which is kept in charge; a charge.
• A mistress (the other woman in an extramarital relationship, generally including sexual relations).

Verb

Verb Forms: kept, keeping, keeps

• To continue to have or hold; to retain possession of.
• keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g.,
  • "keep clean"
  • "The students keep me on my toes"
• continue a certain state, condition, or activity
  • "Keep on working!"
  • "Keep smiling"
• retain possession of
  • "Can I keep my old stuffed animals?"
• stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state
  • "Keep the child from eating the marbles"
• conform one's action or practice to
  • "keep appointments"
  • "she never keeps her promises"
• stick to correctly or closely
  • "keep count"
  • "I cannot keep track of all my employees"
• look after; be the keeper of; have charge of
  • "He keeps the shop when I am gone"
• maintain by writing regular records
  • "keep a diary"
  • "keep notes"
• supply with room and board
  • "He is keeping three women in the guest cottage"
  • "keep boarders"
• allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature
  • "The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff"
  • "Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"
• supply with necessities and support
  • "There's little to earn and many to keep"
• fail to spoil or rot
  • "These potatoes keep for a long time"
• behave as expected during of holidays or rites
  • "Keep the commandments"
• keep under control; keep in check
  • "Keep your temper"
  • "keep your cool"
• maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger
  • "May God keep you"
• raise
  • "She keeps a few chickens in the yard"
  • "he keeps bees"
• retain rights to
  • "keep my job for me while I give birth"
  • "keep my seat, please"
  • "keep open the possibility of a merger"
• store or keep customarily
  • "Where do you keep your gardening tools?"
• have as a supply
  • "I always keep batteries in the freezer"
  • "keep food for a week in the pantry"
  • "She keeps a sixpack and a week's worth of supplies in the refrigerator"
• maintain for use and service
  • "I keep a car in the countryside"
  • "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips"
• hold and prevent from leaving
• prevent (food) from rotting
  • "keep potatoes fresh"
• To continue in (a course or mode of action); to not intermit or fall from; to uphold or maintain.
• To remain faithful to a given promise or word.
• To hold the status of something.
• To maintain possession of.
• To hold the status of something.
• To maintain the condition of; to preserve in a certain state.
• To hold the status of something.
• To record transactions, accounts, or events in.
• To hold the status of something.
• To enter (accounts, records, etc.) in a book.
• To hold the status of something.
• To remain in; to be confined to.
• To hold the status of something.
• To restrain.
• To hold the status of something.
• To watch over, look after, guard, protect.
• To hold the status of something.
• To supply with necessities and financially support (a person).
• To hold the status of something.
• To raise; to care for.
• To hold the status of something.
• To refrain from freely disclosing (a secret).
• To hold the status of something.
• To maintain (an establishment or institution); to conduct; to manage.
• To hold the status of something.
• To have habitually in stock for sale.
• To hold or be held in a state.
• To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.
• To hold or be held in a state.
• To continue.
• To hold or be held in a state.
• To remain edible or otherwise usable.
• To hold or be held in a state.
• To remain in a state.
• To hold or be held in a state.
• To have rooms at college, at the University of Cambridge.
• To wait for, keep watch for.
• To act as wicket-keeper.
• To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.
• To be in session; to take place.
• To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; to not swerve from or violate.
• To visit (a place) often; to frequent.
• To observe or celebrate (a holiday).
• To put away, to put (something) back.

Examples

• Don't let me keep you; I know you have things to be doing.
• Godfrey Evans kept for England for many years.
• He has been keeping orchids since retiring.
• He kept a mistress for over ten years.
• He works as a cobbler's apprentice for his keep.
• I keep a small stock of painkillers for emergencies.
• I keep my pet gerbil away from my brother.
• I keep my specimens under glass to protect them.
• I keep taking the tablets, but to no avail.
• I used to keep a diary.
• Keep calm! There's no need to panic.
• Latex paint won't keep indefinitely.
• May the Lord keep you from harm.
• Potatoes can keep if they are in a root cellar.
• School keeps today.
• She decided to KEEP her high-value Z tile, hoping for a bingo next turn.
• She kept to her bed while the fever lasted.
• The abundance of squirrels kept the dogs running for hours.
• The feast of St. Stephen is kept on December 26.
• The rabbit avoided detection by keeping still.
• to be in good keep
• to keep one's word;  to keep one's promise
• to keep silence;  to keep possession
• to keep the Sabbath

Synonyms

bread and butter, celebrate, continue, donjon, dungeon, go along, go on, hold, hold back, hold on, hold open, keep back, keep on, keep open, livelihood, living, maintain, observe, preserve, prevent, proceed, restrain, retain, save, stay fresh, support, sustain, sustenance, fullfill, honor, protect

Antonyms

break, discontinue, let, lose

Related Words

donjon, for keeps, KEEPABLE