keep
noun
1. the financial means whereby one lives
- each child was expected to pay for their keep
Similar word(s): livelihood, living, support, sustenance
Definition categories: possession, resource
2. the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
Similar word(s): donjon, dungeon
Definition categories: man–made, fastness, stronghold
3. a cell in a jail or prison
Similar word(s): hold
Definition categories: man–made, cell
Sentences with keep as a noun:
- He works as a cobbler's apprentice for his keep.
- to be in good keep
verb
1. cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., `keep clean'
- The students keep me on my toes
Similar word(s): hold, maintain
Definition categories: stative
2. continue a certain state, condition, or activity
- Keep on working!
- Keep smiling
Similar word(s): continue, proceed
Definition categories: stative, act, move
3. retain possession of
- Can I keep my old stuffed animals?
Definition categories: possession, have, hold
4. stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state
- Keep the child from eating the marbles
Similar word(s): prevent
Definition categories: social
5. conform one's action or practice to
- keep appointments
- she never keeps her promises
Similar word(s): observe
Definition categories: social
6. stick to correctly or closely
- keep count
- I cannot keep track of all my employees
Similar word(s): maintain, observe
Definition categories: cognition
7. look after; be the keeper of; have charge of
- He keeps the shop when I am gone
Definition categories: possession, have, hold
8. maintain by writing regular records
- keep a diary
- keep notes
Similar word(s): maintain
Definition categories: communication, enter, record
9. supply with room and board
- He is keeping three women in the guest cottage
- keep boarders
Definition categories: stative, accommodate, lodge
10. 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
Similar word(s): continue, retain
Definition categories: social, prolong, sustain
11. supply with necessities and support
- There's little to earn and many to keep
Similar word(s): maintain, sustain
Definition categories: consumption, have, hold
12. fail to spoil or rot
- These potatoes keep for a long time
Definition categories: stative, remain, rest, stay
13. behave as expected during of holidays or rites
- Keep the commandments
Similar word(s): celebrate, observe
Definition categories: social
14. maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger
- May God keep you
Similar word(s): preserve
Definition categories: stative, protect
15. raise
- She keeps a few chickens in the yard
- he keeps bees
Definition categories: stative, farm, grow, produce, raise
16. retain rights to
- keep my job for me while I give birth
- keep my seat, please
- keep open the possibility of a merger
Similar word(s): save
Definition categories: possession, book, hold, reserve
17. store or keep customarily
- Where do you keep your gardening tools?
Definition categories: possession, store
18. 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
Definition categories: possession, have, hold
19. maintain for use and service
- I keep a car in the countryside
- She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips
Similar word(s): maintain
Definition categories: possession, have, hold
20. hold and prevent from leaving
Definition categories: contact, confine, detain
21. prevent the action or expression of
- keep your cool
Similar word(s): restrain
Definition categories: change
22. prevent (food) from rotting
- keep potatoes fresh
Similar word(s): preserve
Definition categories: change, cook, fix, make, prepare, ready
Sentences with keep as a verb:
- to keep silence; to keep one's word; to keep possession
- I keep a small stock of painkillers for emergencies.
- I keep my specimens under glass to protect them.
- I used to keep a diary.
- I keep my brother out of trouble by keeping him away from his friends and hard at work.
- May the Lord keep you from harm.
- He has been keeping orchids since retiring.
- I keep taking the tablets, but to no avail.
- Potatoes can keep if they are in a root cellar.
- Latex paint won't keep indefinitely.
- The rabbit avoided detection by keeping still.
- Keep calm! There's no need to panic.
- School keeps today.
- to keep one's house, room, bed, etc.