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keep

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Keep means to hold, or retain something, or it can mean to continue doing something. (verb)

An example of to keep is for a person to place all of her money in a savings account.
An example of to keep is to continue searching until you find a job.

See keep in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb kept, keeping

to observe or pay regard to; specif.,
1. to observe with due or prescribed acts, ceremonies, etc.; celebrate or solemnize: to keep the Sabbath
2. to fulfill (a promise, etc.)
3. to follow or adhere to (a routine, diet, etc.)
4. to go on maintaining: to keep pace
5. Archaic to attend (church, etc.) regularly
to take care of, or have and take care or charge of; specif.,
1. to protect; guard; defend
2. to look after; watch over; tend
3. to raise (livestock)
4. to maintain in good order or condition; preserve
5. to supply with food, shelter, etc.; provide for; support
6. to supply with food or lodging for pay: to keep boarders
7. to have or maintain in one's service or for one's use: to keep servants
8. to set down regularly in writing; maintain (a continuous written record): to keep an account of sales
9. to make regular entries in; maintain a continuous record of transactions, accounts, or happenings in: to keep books of account, to keep a diary
10. to carry on; conduct; manage
to maintain, or cause to stay or continue, in a specified condition, position, etc.: to keep an engine running
to have or hold; specif.,
1. to have or hold for future use or for a long time
2. to have regularly in stock for sale
to have or hold and not let go; specif.,
1. to hold in custody; prevent from escaping
2. to prevent from leaving; detain
3. to hold back; restrain: to keep someone from talking
4. to withhold
5. to conceal; not tell (a secret, etc.)
6. to continue to have or hold; not lose or give up
7. to stay in or at; not leave (a path, course, or place)

intransitive verb

to stay or continue in a specified condition, position, etc.
to continue; go on; persevere or persist: often with on: to keep on talking
to hold oneself back; refrain: to keep from telling someone
to stay in good condition; not become spoiled, sour, stale, etc.; last
to require no immediate attention: a task that will keep until tomorrow
☆ Informal to continue in session: will school keep all day?
Now Rare to reside; live; stay

noun

Obsolete care, charge, or custody
1. the strongest, innermost part or central tower of a medieval castle; donjon
2. a stronghold; fort; castle
Rare a keeping or being kept
what is needed to maintain a person or animal; food and shelter; support; livelihood

See keep in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(kēp)

verb kept kept, keep·ing, keeps

verb, transitive

To retain possession of: kept the change; must keep your composure.
To have as a supply: keep an ax in the shed.
a. To provide (a family, for example) with maintenance and support: “There's little to earn and many to keep” (Charles Kingsley).
b. To support (a mistress or lover) financially.
To put customarily; store: Where do you keep your saw?
a. To supply with room and board for a charge: keep boarders.
b. To raise: keep chickens.
To maintain for use or service: an urbanite who didn't keep a car.
To manage, tend, or have charge of: Keep the shop while I'm away.
To preserve (food).
To cause to continue in a state, condition, or course of action: tried to keep the patient calm.
a. To maintain records in: keep a yearly diary.
b. To enter (data) in a book: keep financial records.
a. To detain: was kept after school.
b. To restrain: kept the child away from the stove; kept the crowd back with barriers.
c. To prevent or deter: tried to keep the ice from melting.
d. To refrain from divulging: keep a secret.
e. To save; reserve: keep extra money for emergencies.
To adhere or conform to; follow: keep late hours.
To be faithful to; fulfill: keep one's word.
To celebrate; observe.

verb, intransitive

To remain in a state or condition; stay: keep in line; keep quiet; kept well.
To continue to do: keep on talking; keep guessing.
To remain fresh or unspoiled: The dessert won't keep.
To restrain oneself; hold oneself back: I couldn't keep from eavesdropping.

noun

Care; charge: The child is in my keep for the day.
The means by which one is supported: earn one's keep.
a. The stronghold of a castle.
b. A jail.

Phrasal Verbs: keep at To persevere in work or an action. keep down To prevent from growing, accomplishing, or succeeding: keep the revolutionaries down. To hold under control or at a reduced level: Keep your voice down. To refrain from vomiting: Although seasick, I managed to keep my food down. keep off To stay away from. keep to To adhere to: keep to the original purpose. keep up To maintain in good condition: kept up the property.

a. To persevere in; carry on: We asked her to stop talking, but she kept it up.

b. To preserve or sustain: kept up the appearance of friendship.

To continue at the same level or pace: The snow kept up all day. To continue to pay off (a financial obligation). To match one's competitors, colleagues, or neighbors in success or lifestyle: couldn't keep up with his friends who went into business. To remain adequately informed: loved to keep up on the gossip.

Learn more about keep

» keep synonyms

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