keep has definitions from the fields of medieval,housing,food,agriculture
1
[ verb ] keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep clean"

Synonyms

hold maintain

Examples

"hold in place" "She always held herself as a lady" "The students keep me on my toes"

Used in print

(The Atlanta Constitution...)

The jury did not elaborate , but it added that `` there should be periodic surveillance of the pricing practices of the concessionaires for the purpose of keeping the prices reasonable '' .

(The Dallas Morning News,...)

An adverse vote of 81 to 65 kept in the State_Affairs_Committee a bill which would order the referendum on the April 4 ballot , when Texas votes on a U.S. senator .

(The Dallas Morning News,...)

`` I think the big thing about the game was that our kids for the third straight week stayed in there pitching and kept the pressure on .

(Chicago Daily Tribune...)

The concert opened with another big romantic score , Schumann's Overture_to_Manfred , which suffered fate , this time with orchestral thrusts to the Byronic point to keep it afloat .

Also , perhaps , table-tennis and other indoor sports to keep them fit and contented .

2
[ verb ] continue a certain state, condition, or activity

Examples

"Keep on working!" "We continued to work into the night" "Keep smiling" "We went on working until well past midnight"

Used in print

(Musical America, LXXXI:5...)

Because of the authentic homogeneity of his early Nationalistic materials , and his flair for orchestrations - his brilliant Petruchka , his savage Sacre_du_Printemps , his incisive Les_Noces - the world kept hoping that he could recapture the historical direction for which his native talents were predisposed .

(Harold Rosenberg, "The Trial and Eichmann"...)

Not through fear of disobeying orders , as Eichmann kept trying to explain , but through a peculiar giddiness that began in a half acceptance of the vicious absurdities contained in the Nazi interpretation of history and grew with each of Hitler 's victories into a permanent light_mindedness and sense of magical rightness that was able to respond to any proposal , and the more outrageous the better , `` Well , let 's try it '' .

(Bell I. Wiley, "Home Letters of Johnny Reb and Billy...)

Another Reb writing under similar circumstances before Atlanta reported : `` The Yankees keep Shooting so I am afraid they will knock_over my ink , so I will close '' .

(L. Don Leet and Florence J. Leet, editors, The World of...)

The waves may keep coming for many hours .

(Gibson Winter, The Suburban Captivity of the...)

Churches can be strengthened through this process of co-optation so_long as the environs of the church provide a sufficient pool of people who can fit the pattern of economic integration ; once the pool of recruits diminishes , the congregation is helpless - friendly contacts no_longer keep it going .

3
[ verb ] retain possession of

Synonyms

hold_on

Examples

"Can I keep my old stuffed animals?" "She kept her maiden name after she married"

Used in print

(The Sun, [Baltimore],...)

Mills shot out in_front and kept the lead through two thirds of the race .

(The Dallas Morning News,...)

`` We always like to keep the ball as much as we can against Denver because they have such an explosive attack '' , explained Stram .

(Chicago Daily Tribune...)

When he needs money to buy something like , say , the Rolls-Royce he keeps near his vegetable_patch , he takes_a_flyer in the sale of surplus army supplies .

(Howard Nemerov, "Themes and Methods: The Early...)

His unsuccessful strivings to give_up drink are represented as religious strivings ; he keeps a bottle in a wardrobe at home , and `` before this wardrobe Praisegod_Piepsam had before now gone literally on his knees , and in his wrestlings had bitten his tongue - and still in_the_end capitulated '' .

(Handbook of Federal Aids to Communities. U.S. Dep...)

It is kept in each Regional office for the small firms within the region .

4
[ verb ] prevent from doing something or being in a certain state

Synonyms

prevent

Examples

"We must prevent the cancer from spreading" "His snoring kept me from falling asleep" "Keep the child from eating the marbles"

Used in print

(The New York Times,...)

For a serious young_man who plays golf with a serious intensity , Palmer has such an inherent sense_of_humor that it relieves the strain and keeps his nerves from jangling like banjo strings .

(Glayds H. Barr, The Master of Geneva....)

He brushed back his black hair , shoving it under his pastor 's cap to keep it from blowing in his eyes .

(Irving Stone, The Agony and the Ecstasy....)

The model quite plainly thought Michelangelo crazy ; only the instructions from his rabbi kept him from bolting .

(Philip Jos‚ Farmer, The Lovers....)

Hal felt sorry_for Mary ; he had_a_time keeping the tears from welling to his own eyes as he stood in the crowd in the observation_dome .

5
[ verb ] conform one's action or practice to

Synonyms

observe

Examples

"keep appointments" "she never keeps her promises" "We kept to the original conditions of the contract"

Used in print

(Chicago Daily Tribune...)

But if you keep a calendar of events , as we do , you noticed a conflict .

(Guy Endore, Voltaire! Voltaire!...)

But they , naturally , kept his secret well , and the public at_large knew only of a great excitement in musical and court circles .

(Leon Uris, Mila 8....)

He walked toward the center of the city to keep his rendezvous with Styka .

Related terms

make_good keeping honoring

6
[ verb ] observe correctly or closely

Synonyms

observe maintain

Examples

"The pianist kept time with the metronome" "keep count" "I cannot keep track of all my employees"

Used in print

(The New York Times,...)

Willie 's partner was Long_Jim_Barnes , who tried to keep count .

(B. J. D. Meeuse, The Story of Pollination....)

If we manage to keep track of a Bombus queen after she has left her feeding place , we may discover the snug little hideout which she has fixed_up for herself when she woke_up from her winter sleep .

(Clifford H. Pope, The Giant Snakes....)

Until better records have been kept over longer periods_of_time and much more is known about the maximum dimensions , it will be wise to refrain_from drawing conclusions .

What data there are on growth indicate considerable variation in rate ; unfortunately , no_one has kept complete records of one individual , whereas many have been made for a very short period_of_time .

7
[ verb ] look after; be the keeper of; have charge of

Examples

"He keeps the shop when I am gone"

Used in print

(Clifford H. Pope, The Giant Snakes....)

It seems likely that the Indian_python comes_out ahead because records of its growth have been made more carefully and frequently ; it responds exceptionally well to captivity and does not reach proportions that make it hard to keep .

(Ann Hebson, The Lattimer Legend....)

I aim to keep a_little whisky still back in the ridge for my pleasure '' .

(Sallie Bingham, "Moving Day," The Atlantic...)

But he knew how important it was for her to keep her figure .

8
[ verb ] maintain by writing regular records

Synonyms

maintain

Examples

"keep a diary" "maintain a record" "keep notes"

Used in print

(The Family Fallout Shelter. Office of Civil and Defence...)

Records such_as diaries can be kept .

A record should be kept of the information and instructions , including the time and date of broadcast .

(Raymond J. Corsini et al., Roleplaying in Business...)

He played a number of typical situations before observers , other supervisors who kept notes and then explained to him in_detail what he did they thought was wrong .

Related terms

record

9
[ verb ] supply with necessities and support

Synonyms

maintain sustain

Examples

: "She alone sustained her family" "The money will sustain our good cause" "There's little to earn and many to keep"

Used in print

(Edward E. Kelly, S.J., "Christian Unity in England"...)

Because they have kept the faith of their medieval fathers , English Catholics have always strongly resented the charge of being `` English '' .

10
[ verb ] allow to remain in a place or position

Examples

"We cannot continue several servants any longer" "She retains a lawyer" "The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff" "Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"

Used in print

(John R. Sargent, "Where To Aim Your Planning for Bigger...)

Does your management climate and your management compensation plan attract and keep top-notch marketing people ?

11
[ verb ] (housing) supply with room and board

Examples

"He is keeping three women in the guest cottage" "keep boarders"

Used in print

(Newark Evening News...)

Jay_Gould kept a cow on one de_luxer .

(Amber Dean, Encounter with Evil....)

She said , `` Barney , why is he keeping me here '' ?

(Patrick Dennis, Little Me....)

I now felt it wiser_to keep Baby-dear in school and - during the summers - at a camp run by the Society_of_Friends all year around .

Related terms

lodge

12
[ verb ] keep under control; keep in check

Examples

"suppress a smile" "Keep your temper" "keep your cool"

Used in print

(George Harmon Coxe, Error of Judgement....)

None of_this showed in his face , and he tried to keep his skepticism in_hand .

13
[ verb ] fail to spoil or rot

Synonyms

stay_fresh

Examples

"These potatoes keep for a long time"

Used in print

(Frances and Richard Lockridge, Murder Has...)

Grudges simply do not keep that well in a sane mind .

Related terms

stay preserve

14
[ verb ] celebrate, as of holidays or rites

Synonyms

celebrate observe

Examples

"Keep the commandments" "celebrate Christmas" "Observe Yom Kippur"

Used in print

(Jaroslav Pelikan, The Shape of Death: life, death and...)

And He laid_down for him certain conditions : so_that , if he kept the command of God , then he would always remain as he was , that_is , immortal ; but if he did not , he would become mortal , melting into earth , whence his frame had been taken '' .

These conditions man did not keep , and thus he became mortal ; yet he did not stop being human as a result .

15
[ verb ] maintain in safety form injury, harm, or danger

Synonyms

preserve

Examples

"May God keep you"

Used in print

(87th Congress, 1st Session. House Document No. 247....)

So , I say , Mr._Speaker , God bless you and keep you for many years not_only for this body but for the United_States_of_America and the free_world .

Related terms

protect preserve

16
[ verb ] retain rights to

Examples

"keep my job for me while I give birth" "keep my seat, please" "keep open the possibility of a merger"

Related terms

reserve reserve

17
[ verb ] maintain for use and service

Synonyms

maintain

Examples

"I keep a car in the countryside" "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips"

Related terms

have must

18
[ verb ] have as a supply

Examples

"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"

Related terms

have must

19
[ verb ] hold and prevent from leaving

Examples

"The student was kept after school"

Related terms

confine prevent hold

20
[ noun ] (medieval) the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress

Synonyms

dungeon donjon

21
[ verb ] (food) prevent from rotting, of foods

Synonyms

preserve

Examples

"preserved meats" "keep potatoes fresh"

22
[ verb ] store or keep customarily

Examples

"Where do you keep your gardening tools?"

Related terms

store

23
[ noun ] Last name, frequency rank in the U.S. is 23716
24
[ verb ] (food,agriculture) raise

Examples

"She keeps a few chickens in the yard" "he keeps bees"

Related terms

grow herd

25
[ noun ] the financial means whereby one lives

Examples

"each child was expected to pay for their keep" "he applied to the state for support" "he could no longer earn his own livelihood"

26
[ noun ] a cell in a jail or prison

Synonyms

hold

Related terms

cell

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