noun
- The financial means whereby one lives.
- usage: "each child was expected to pay for their keep"; "he applied to the state for support"; "he could no longer earn his own livelihood"
- synonyms: support, livelihood, living, bread and butter, sustenance
- The main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress.
- A cell in a jail or prison.
- synonyms: hold
verb
- (v.) ()
- Continue a certain state, condition, or activity.
- usage: "Keep on working"; "We continued to work into the night"; "Keep smiling"; "We went on working until well past midnight"
- Retain possession of.
- usage: "Can I keep my old stuffed animals"; "She kept her maiden name after she married"
- synonyms: hold on
- Stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state.
- usage: "We must prevent the cancer from spreading"; "His snoring kept me from falling asleep"; "Keep the child from eating the marbles"
- synonyms: prevent
- Conform one's action or practice to.
- usage: "keep appointments"; "she never keeps her promises"; "We kept to the original conditions of the contract"
- synonyms: observe
- Stick to correctly or closely.
- usage: "The pianist kept time with the metronome"; "keep count"; "I cannot keep track of all my employees"
- Look after; be the keeper of; have charge of.
- usage: "He keeps the shop when I am gone"
- Maintain by writing regular records.
- usage: "keep a diary"; "maintain a record"; "keep notes"
- synonyms: maintain
- Supply with room and board.
- usage: "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.
- usage: "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"; "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.
- usage: "She alone sustained her family"; "The money will sustain our good cause"; "There's little to earn and many to keep"
- Fail to spoil or rot.
- usage: "These potatoes keep for a long time"
- synonyms: stay fresh
- Behave as expected during of holidays or rites.
- usage: "Keep the commandments"; "celebrate Christmas"; "Observe Yom Kippur"
- Keep under control; keep in check.
- usage: "suppress a smile"; "Keep your temper"; "keep your cool"
- Maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger.
- usage: "May God keep you"
- synonyms: preserve
- Raise.
- usage: "She keeps a few chickens in the yard"; "he keeps bees"
- Retain rights to.
- usage: "keep my job for me while I give birth"; "keep my seat, please"; "keep open the possibility of a merger"
- Store or keep customarily.
- usage: "Where do you keep your gardening tools"
- Have as a supply.
- usage: "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"
- Maintain for use and service.
- usage: "I keep a car in the countryside"; "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips"
- synonyms: maintain
- Hold and prevent from leaving.
- usage: "The student was kept after school"
- Prevent (food) from rotting.
- usage: "preserved meats"; "keep potatoes fresh"
- synonyms: preserve