Pronunciations (7)
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/kiːp/
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[kiːp]
Pronunciation notes
- Received-Pronunciation
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[kʰɪjp]
Pronunciation notes
- Received-Pronunciation
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[kʰɪjp]
Pronunciation notes
- British
- Southern
- Southern-US
- Standard
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[k̟çi(ː)p]
Pronunciation notes
- US
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[k(ʰ)i(ː)p]
Pronunciation notes
- Canada
- Scotland
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kiːp
Verb
To continue in (a course or mode of action); to not intermit or fall from; to uphold or maintain.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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to keep silence; to keep possession
To remain faithful to a given promise or word.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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to keep one's word; to keep one's promise
Both day and night did we keep company.
More examples (1)
Within the Portal as I kept my Watch, / Swift gliding Shadows by the glimm'ring Moon, I could perceive in Forms of armed Men, / Poſſeſſ the Space that borders on the Porch— […]
To hold the status of something. To maintain possession of.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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I keep a small stock of painkillers for emergencies.
I only meant to lend him the shirt at first, but it looked better on him than me, so I told him to keep it.
To hold the status of something. To maintain the condition of; to preserve in a certain state.
Usage- Ditransitive
- Transitive
- Examples
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I keep my specimens under glass to protect them.
The abundance of squirrels kept the dogs running for hours.
More examples (2)
Mr. Cooke had had a sloop yacht built at Far Harbor, the completion of which had been delayed, and which was but just delivered.[…]The Maria had a cabin, which was finished in hard wood and yellow plush, and accommodations for keeping things cold.
She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill.
To hold the status of something. To record transactions, accounts, or events in.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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I used to keep a diary.
To hold the status of something. To enter (accounts, records, etc.) in a book.
Usage- Transitive
To hold the status of something. To remain in; to be confined to.
Usage- Archaic
- Transitive
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Metrocles somewhat indiscreetly, as he was disputing in his Schole, in presence of his auditory, let a fart, for shame whereof he afterwards kept his house and could not be drawen abroad[…].
The wrathful skies / Gallow the very wanderers of the dark / And make them keep their caves.
More examples (2)
The following day she was so ill that she kept her bed; the husband went not once to enquire for her, nor did he send any message: he also kept his apartment, and was heard walking backwards and forwards with a hurried pace the whole of that day.
"As I sat alone at my breakfast--Mrs. Challenger is in the habit of keeping her room of a morning--it suddenly entered my head that it would be entertaining and instructive to see whether I could find any limits to this woman's inperturbability."
To hold the status of something. To restrain.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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I keep my pet gerbil away from my brother.
Don't let me keep you; I know you have things to be doing.
To hold the status of something. To watch over, look after, guard, protect.
Usage- Transitive
- with from
- Examples
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May the Lord keep you from harm.
cursse on thy cruell hond, / That twise hath sped; yet shall it not thee keepe / From the third brunt of this my fatall brond […]
To hold the status of something. To supply with necessities and financially support (a person).
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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He kept a mistress for over ten years.
To hold the status of something. To raise; to care for.
Usage- Transitive
- of living things
- Examples
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He has been keeping orchids since retiring.
Here John had to keep cows with other boys, and they used to drive them to graze about the Nine-hills.
More examples (2)
Of course boys are boys and need watching, but there is little watching necessary when they keep chickens.
Jailing her on Wednesday, magistrate Liz Clyne told Robins: "You have shown little remorse either for the death of the kitten or the trauma to your former friend Sarah Knutton." She was also banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
To hold the status of something. To refrain from freely disclosing (a secret).
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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I know that it's a secret / And that I gotta keep it / But I want the lights on / Yeah, I want the lights on
To hold the status of something. To maintain (an establishment or institution); to conduct; to manage.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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like a pedant that keeps a school
They were honourably accompanied and with great estate brought to London, where euery of them kept house by himselfe.
More examples (1)
At half-past nine on this Saturday evening, the parlour of the Salutation Inn, High Holborn, contained most of its customary visitors.[…]In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.
To hold the status of something. To have habitually in stock for sale.
Usage- Transitive
To hold or be held in a state. To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.
Usage- Intransitive
- Obsolete
- Examples
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She kept to her bed while the fever lasted.
Knock at his study, where, they say, he keeps, / To ruminate strange plots of dire revenge; […]
To hold or be held in a state. To continue.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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I keep taking the tablets, but to no avail.
More examples (2)
Not unnaturally, “Auntie” took this communication in bad part. […] Next day she […] tried to recover her ward by the hair of the head. Then, thwarted, the wretched creature went to the police for help; she was versed in the law, and perhaps had spared no pains to keep on good terms with the local constabulary.
Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic[…]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become.[…]But the scandals kept coming, and so we entered stage three – what therapists call "bargaining". A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul. Instead it offers fixes and patches.
To hold or be held in a state. To remain edible or otherwise usable.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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Potatoes can keep if they are in a root cellar.
Latex paint won't keep indefinitely.
More examples (1)
If the malt be not thoroughly dried, the ale it makes will not keep.
To hold or be held in a state. To remain in a state.
Usage- copulative
- Intransitive
- Examples
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The rabbit avoided detection by keeping still.
Keep calm! There's no need to panic.
To hold or be held in a state. To have rooms at college, at the University of Cambridge.
Usage- UK usage
- Intransitive
- Obsolete
To wait for, keep watch for.
Usage- Obsolete
- Examples
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More examples (1)
And thenne whan the damoysel knewe certaynly that he was not syre launcelot / thenne she took her leue and departed from hym / And thenne syre Trystram rode pryuely vnto the posterne where kepte hym la beale Isoud / and there she made hym good chere and thanked god of his good spede
To act as wicket-keeper.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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Godfrey Evans kept for England for many years.
To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.
Usage- Intransitive
- Obsolete
- Examples
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[…] kepe that the lustes choke not the word of God that is sowen in vs,
To be in session; to take place.
Usage- Intransitive
- Obsolete
- Examples
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School keeps today.
To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; to not swerve from or violate.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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I have kept the faith: […]
Be strong, live happie, and love, but first of all / Him whom to love is to obey, and keep / His great command; […]
To visit (a place) often; to frequent.
Usage- broadly
- Dated
- Transitive
- Examples
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[…] 'tis hallowed ground; No Maid seeks here her strayed Cow, or Sheep, Fairies, and fawns, and satyrs do it keep:
To observe or celebrate (a holiday).
Usage- Dated
- Transitive
- Examples
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to keep the Sabbath
The feast of St. Stephen is kept on December 26.
More examples (3)
There are two time-zones in China: the Eastern, which keeps Shanghai time, 8 hr. in advance of G.M.T.; and the Western, which keeps Kansu-Szechwan time, 7 hr. in advance of G.M.T.
"Nephew!" returned the uncle sternly, "keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine."
"Oh, we are from Osthalla," says one of them, "we are going to the Veien dairy to keep the wedding; the one who drives in front is the parson, next are the bride and bridegroom, and I am his father-in-law."
To put (something) back (to its original location or appropriate place); to put away.
Usage- Singapore
- Wales
- Transitive
- Examples
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Please keep these books.
More examples (1)
[…] semantic shift: e.g., to send (“to give a lift”), to keep (“to put away”), to hack (“to remove carefully,” e.g., tiles, plaster, etc.), knock (“to remove a dent from a car”), bluff (“to joke”), stay (“to live”) […]
Noun
The main tower of a castle or fortress, located within the castle walls.
Usage- Countable
- Historical
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
The food or money required to keep someone alive and healthy; one's support, maintenance.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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He works as a cobbler's apprentice for his keep.
The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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to be in good keep
A cap for holding something, such as a journal box, in place.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge; notice.
Usage- Countable
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
So Sir Gareth strayned hym so that his olde wounde braste ayen on bledynge; but he was hote and corragyous and toke no kepe, but with his grete forse he strake downe the knyght[…].
Pan, thou god of shepherds all, / Which of our tender lambkins takest keep.
That which is kept in charge; a charge.
Usage- Countable
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Often he used of his keep / A sacrifice to bring.
A mistress (the other woman in an extramarital relationship, generally including sexual relations).
Usage- Countable
- euphemistic
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
My Darling Girl, In London the other day I heard a piece of news which may amuse you. The French girl who shot her so-called Egyptian prince and is going to be tried for murder, is the fancy woman who was the Prince's 'keep' in Paris during the war […]
Noun
the financial means whereby one lives
- Broader terms
- Examples
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each child was expected to pay for their keep
he applied to the state for support
More examples (1)
he could no longer earn his own livelihood
the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
- Broader terms
a cell in a jail or prison
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
Verb
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity
- Examples
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hold in place
She always held herself as a lady
More examples (1)
The students keep me on my toes
continue a certain state, condition, or activity
- Examples
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Keep on working!
We continued to work into the night
More examples (2)
Keep smiling
We went on working until well past midnight
retain possession of
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
- Examples
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Can I keep my old stuffed animals?
She kept her maiden name after she married
stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state
- Synonyms
- Examples
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We must prevent the cancer from spreading
His snoring kept me from falling asleep
More examples (1)
Keep the child from eating the marbles
conform one's action or practice to
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
- Examples
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keep appointments
she never keeps her promises
More examples (1)
We kept to the original conditions of the contract
stick to correctly or closely
- Broader terms
- Examples
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The pianist kept time with the metronome
keep count
More examples (1)
I cannot keep track of all my employees
look after; be the keeper of; have charge of
- Examples
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He keeps the shop when I am gone
maintain by writing regular records
- Synonyms
- Examples
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keep a diary
maintain a record
More examples (1)
keep notes
supply with room and board
- Broader terms
- Examples
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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
- Examples
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We cannot continue several servants any longer
She retains a lawyer
More examples (5)
The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff
Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on
We kept the work going as long as we could
She retained her composure
this garment retains its shape even after many washings
supply with necessities and support
- Examples
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She alone sustained her family
The money will sustain our good cause
More examples (1)
There's little to earn and many to keep
fail to spoil or rot
- Synonyms
- Examples
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These potatoes keep for a long time
behave as expected during holidays or rites
- Examples
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Keep the commandments
celebrate Christmas
More examples (1)
Observe Yom Kippur
maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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May God keep you
to rear
- Examples
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She keeps a few chickens in the yard
he keeps bees
retain rights to
- Examples
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keep my job for me while I give birth
keep my seat, please
More examples (1)
keep open the possibility of a merger
store or keep customarily
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Where do you keep your gardening tools?
have as a supply
- Examples
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I always keep batteries in the freezer
keep food for a week in the pantry
More examples (1)
She keeps a sixpack and a week's worth of supplies in the refrigerator
maintain for use and service
- Synonyms
- Examples
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I keep a car in the countryside
She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips
hold and prevent from leaving
- Examples
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The student was kept after school
prevent the action or expression of
- Examples
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hold back your anger
keep your cool
More examples (1)
she struggled to restrain her impatience at the delays
prevent (food) from rotting
- Synonyms
- Examples
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preserved meats
keep potatoes fresh