keep

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To continue in (a course or mode of action); to not intermit or fall from; to uphold or maintain.
2. (transitive) To remain faithful to a given promise or word.
3. (transitive) To hold the status of something.
4. (ditransitive, transitive) To hold the status of something.
5. (transitive) To hold the status of something.
6. (transitive) To hold the status of something.
7. (archaic, transitive) To hold the status of something.
8. (transitive) To hold the status of something.
9. (transitive) To hold the status of something.
10. (transitive) To hold the status of something.
11. (transitive) To hold the status of something.
12. (transitive) To hold the status of something.
13. (transitive) To hold the status of something.
14. (transitive) To hold the status of something.
15. (intransitive, obsolete) To hold or be held in a state.
16. (intransitive) To hold or be held in a state.
17. (intransitive) To hold or be held in a state.
18. (copulative, intransitive) To hold or be held in a state.
19. (UK, intransitive, obsolete) To hold or be held in a state.
20. (obsolete) To wait for, keep watch for.
21. (intransitive) To act as wicket-keeper.
22. (intransitive, obsolete) To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.
23. (intransitive, obsolete) To be in session; to take place.
24. (transitive) To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; to not swerve from or violate.
25. (broadly, dated, transitive) To visit (a place) often; to frequent.
26. (dated, transitive) To observe or celebrate (a holiday).
27. (Singapore, transitive) To put (something) back; to put away.

Noun

1. (countable, historical, uncountable) The main tower of a castle or fortress, located within the castle walls.
2. (countable, uncountable) The food or money required to keep someone alive and healthy; one's support, maintenance.
3. (countable, uncountable) The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case.
4. (countable, uncountable) A cap for holding something, such as a journal box, in place.
5. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge; notice.
6. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) That which is kept in charge; a charge.
7. (countable, euphemistic, obsolete, uncountable) A mistress (the other woman in an extramarital relationship, generally including sexual relations).

Synonyms

preserve

hold

maintain

save

retain

observe

protect

store

conserve

stay

guard

💂

continue

remain

rear

support

look after

take care of

raise

reserve

put

abide

have

breed

achieve

sustain

perform

watch over

accomplish

tend

detain

prevent

take charge of

go on

celebrate

watch

⌚

keep up

last

hold on

persist

put away

mind

endure

keep on

collect

abide by

safeguard

proceed

contain

obey

rescue

Translations

garder

conserver

continuer

tenir

behalten

maintenir

conservare

guardar

tenere

retenir

guardar

halten

houden

κρατώ

rester

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kiːp/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: kepen

Inherited from Old English: cēpan

Cognate with Western Frisian: kypje

Cognate with Lithuanian: žẽbti

Cognate with Russian: забо́та

Inherited from Middle English: kepe

In summary

From Middle English kepen (“to keep, guard, look after, watch”), from Old English cēpan (“to seize, hold, observe”), from Proto-West Germanic *kōpijan, from Proto-Germanic *kōpijaną (“to look, heed, watch, observe”) (compare West Frisian kypje (“to look”)), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵab-, *ǵāb- (“to look after”) (compare Lithuanian žẽbti (“to eat reluctantly”), Russian забо́та (zabóta, “care, worry”)).

Sentences

You can keep her on .

Take shelter in this tent , but keep still .

Why does the ice cream truck keep playing such a sad song “ send in the clowns”?

This tension together with some minor injuries made Souness less keen to keep him .

His style seeks to keep games accessible while still adding increasing levels of complexity .