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keep

[k̟çi(ː)p]noun, verb1 syllable

Keep means: continue a certain state, condition, or activity.

Synonyms for keep35

noun, as in the financial means whereby one lives

support, livelihood, living, bread and butter, sustenance

noun, as in the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress

donjon, dungeon

noun, as in a cell in a jail or prison

verb, as in continue a certain state, condition, or activity

continue, go on, proceed, go along, uphold, carry on, bear on, preserve

verb, as in allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature

retain, continue, keep on, persist in

verb, as in retain possession of

hold on, keep open, hold open, save

verb, as in retain rights to

keep open, hold open, save, hold on

verb, as in prevent the action or expression of

restrain, keep back, hold back

verb, as in cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity

verb, as in stick to correctly or closely

verb, as in supply with necessities and support

verb, as in fail to spoil or rot

stay fresh, preserve

verb, as in behave as expected during of holidays or rites

verb, as in prevent (food) from rotting

preserve, stay fresh

verb, as in stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state

verb, as in conform one's action or practice to

verb, as in look after; be the keeper of; have charge of

verb, as in maintain by writing regular records

verb, as in maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger

verb, as in maintain for use and service

verb, as in hold and prevent from leaving

also used for keep

fullfill, honor, protect

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Opposites of keep

What does keep mean?25

verb

1

continue a certain state, condition, or activity“Keep on working!”

2

allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature“We cannot continue several servants any longer”

3

retain possession of“Can I keep my old stuffed animals?”

4

retain rights to“keep my job for me while I give birth”

5

prevent the action or expression of“hold back your anger”

6

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity“hold in place”

7

stick to correctly or closely“The pianist kept time with the metronome”

8

supply with necessities and support“She alone sustained her family”

9

fail to spoil or rot“These potatoes keep for a long time”

10

behave as expected during of holidays or rites“Keep the commandments”

11

prevent (food) from rotting“preserved meats”

12

stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state“We must prevent the cancer from spreading”

13

conform one's action or practice to“keep appointments”

14

look after; be the keeper of; have charge of“He keeps the shop when I am gone”

15

maintain by writing regular records“keep a diary”

16

maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger“May God keep you”

17

maintain for use and service“I keep a car in the countryside”

18

hold and prevent from leaving“The student was kept after school”

19

supply with room and board“He is keeping three women in the guest cottage”

20

to rear“She keeps a few chickens in the yard”

21

store or keep customarily“Where do you keep your gardening tools?”

22

have as a supply“I always keep batteries in the freezer”

noun

1

the financial means whereby one lives“each child was expected to pay for their keep”

2

the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress

3

a cell in a jail or prison

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

What rhymes with keep?16

Show 40 near rhymes

Keep in a sentence

  • Always keep a bucket of water handy, in case of fire.CK
  • When you go abroad, you'd better keep in mind that tipping is customary.Ivan24
  • Will you keep my valuables for me, please?CK
  • As scientists keep insisting, there is neither good nor bad in any scientific discovery.Dejo
  • In summer, meat goes bad easily; you must keep it in the refrigerator.Luornu
  • Once you have made a promise, you should keep it.CC
  • If you can't keep your promise, what excuse will you make?CM
  • If you want to make your dreams come true, keep on trying.CK

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of keep

as a noun

plural
keeps

as a verb

past tense
kept
past participle
kept
present participle
keeping
third-person singular
keeps