Keep Definition
keep
- noun
- the financial means whereby one lives; "each child was expected to pay for their keep"; "he applied to the state for support"; "he could no longer earn his own livelihood"
- the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
- a cell in a jail or prison
- verb
- keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep clean"; "hold in place"; "She always held herself as a lady"; "The students keep me on my toes"
- continue a certain state, condition, or activity; "Keep on working!"; "We continued to work into the night"; "Keep smiling"; "We went on working until well past midnight"
- retain possession of; "Can I keep my old stuffed animals?"; "She kept her maiden name after she married"
- stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state; "We must prevent the cancer from spreading"; "His snoring kept me from falling asleep"; "Keep the child from eating the marbles"
- conform one's action or practice to; "keep appointments"; "she never keeps her promises"; "We kept to the original conditions of the contract"
- stick to correctly or closely; "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; "He keeps the shop when I am gone"
- maintain by writing regular records; "keep a diary"; "maintain a record"; "keep notes"
- supply with room and board; "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; "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; "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; "These potatoes keep for a long time"
- behave as expected during of holidays or rites; "Keep the commandments"; "celebrate Christmas"; "Observe Yom Kippur"
- keep under control; keep in check; "suppress a smile"; "Keep your temper"; "keep your cool"
- maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger; "May God keep you"
- raise; "She keeps a few chickens in the yard"; "he keeps bees"
- retain rights to; "keep my job for me while I give birth"; "keep my seat, please"; "keep open the possibility of a merger"
- store or keep customarily; "Where do you keep your gardening tools?"
- 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"
- maintain for use and service; "I keep a car in the countryside"; "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips"
- hold and prevent from leaving; "The student was kept after school"
- prevent (food) from rotting; "preserved meats"; "keep potatoes fresh"
"Keep" in song lyrics
See how keep is used in real songs:
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"I pray to Lord my soul to keep"
60 Second Assassin f/ Hell Razah, Kristina Green, Shabazz the Disciple, Son One — Cloud 9 -
"He keep keep"
88 Keys f/ Kanye West — Stay Up (Viagra) -
"And I never knew hardship was mine to keep"
Aceyalone — I Never Knew
Words that rhyme with keep
Usage tips for "keep"
Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "keep" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for keep to find words that pair well.