keepverb
uk/kiːp/us/kiːp/kept, keptkeep verb (CONTINUE TO HAVE)
A2 [ T ] to have or continue to have in your possession:
[ T ] to own and manage a small shop:
B2 [ T ] If you keep animals, you own and take care of them, but not in your home as pets:
[ T ] US to watch and care for someone's children while their parents are away:
B2 to do what you have told someone that you would do:
to go to a meeting or event that has been arranged:
B2 to make a regular record of events or other information so that you can refer to it later:
B1 to not tell anyone a secret that you know
(of a watch or clock) to show the correct time:
to be the player who defends your team's goal by trying to prevent players from the other team scoring goals
More examples
- I always keep a copy of any official or important letters that I send off.
- If you keep valuables in your house, lock them away somewhere safe.
- I'm going to sort these old books into those to be kept and those to be thrown away.
- He shaved off his beard but kept his moustache.
- As part of their divorce settlement, Geoff agreed to let Polly keep the house.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Keeping and storing things
- appropriate
- aside
- bank
- capture
- cling
- cling (on) to sth
- dump
- earmark
- lay
- lay sth in
- maintain
- pack sth away
- put sth away
- repository
- reserve
- stockpile
- storage
- store
- store sth up
- stow
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keep verb (STAY)
A2 [ L only + adj, T ] to (cause to) stay in a particular place or condition:
to not tell people about something:
More examples
- Biscuits will stay crisp if you keep them in an airtight container.
- I keep my socks in the bottom drawer.
- Plants keep cool during the summer by evaporating water from their leaves.
- The poor things were kept in small cages without room to move.
- Could you keep quiet while I'm on the phone, please?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Keeping and staying the same
- consistency
- consistent
- continuum
- fastness
- firm
- flat
- invariant
- leave
- leave well alone idiom
- level
- level off
- remain
- seamless
- settle
- stable
- steadfastly
- steady
- unchanged
- undisturbed
- wallow in sth
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keep verb (CONTINUE DOING)
B1 [ I + -ing verb ] also keep on to continue doing something without stopping, or to do it repeatedly:
to continue in the same way as before:
to continue to do something or to live normally in a difficult situation:
to help someone to continue doing something or living normally, especially in a difficult situation:
informal to prevent someone from getting too hungry when they have to wait to eat a meal:
More examples
- She's got a secret admirer who keeps sending her gifts.
- She kept telling herself that nothing was wrong.
- They were laughing at him because he kept falling off his bike.
- I've called him several times but I keep getting the engaged tone.
- I don't like those watches that keep beeping every hour.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Continue & last
- (it's) business as usual idiom
- bash on
- carry (sth) on
- cease
- cont
- contd
- drag
- keep at sth
- keep on doing sth
- keep on trucking idiom
- keep sb at it idiom
- leg
- nine
- push
- run on
- run over (sth)
- see sth out
- segue
- soldier on
- string
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keep verb (DELAY)
B1 [ T ] to delay someone or prevent them from doing something:
[ I ] If you say that news or information for someone can keep, you mean that you can tell it to them later:
More examples
- She kept me waiting for hours.
- What's keeping her from just asking him?
- She kept me sitting in the kitchen while she talked to him.
- Try not to keep mother waiting.
- He kept me working all evening.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Delaying and wasting time
- ado
- be on ice idiom
- bugger
- bugger about
- bugger sb about
- carry
- hold sb over
- hold sb/sth back
- hold sb/sth up
- hold up
- ice
- kick
- push
- retard
- retardation
- set sth/sb back
- shelve
- sit
- sit on sth
- spin
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keep verb (STAY FRESH)
B2 [ I ] (of food) to stay fresh and in good condition:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Decaying and staying fresh
- best-before date
- biodegradable
- biodegrade
- compostable
- decay
- decompose
- go off
- molder
- out of date
- perish
- perishable
- pull date
- putrefaction
- putrefy
- rack
- seed
- sell-by date
- shrivel
- spoil
- wormy
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keep verb (PROVIDE)
C1 [ T ] to provide yourself or another person with food, clothing, a home, and other things necessary for basic living:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Giving, providing and supplying
- accommodate
- accord
- administer
- administration
- assignment
- award
- dish
- go round (somewhere)
- hand sth around
- hand sth back
- hand sth in
- hand sth out
- invest
- lay
- spare
- stake sb to sth
- step
- step forward
- supplier
- supply
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Idiom(s)
Phrasal verb(s)
keepnoun
uk/kiːp/us/kiːp/keep noun (LIVING EXPENSES)
[ U ] the cost of providing food, heating, and other necessary things for someone:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Costs & expenses
- aliment
- alimony
- asking price
- carrying charge
- charge
- compensation
- corkage
- cost an arm and a leg/a small fortune idiom
- cost-of-living index
- damage
- dent
- expense
- flat rate
- indirect cost
- maintenance
- price war
- running costs
- settlement
- sticker price
- stoppage
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keep noun (TOWER)
[ C ] specialized architecture the strong main tower of a castle
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Fortifications
- acropolis
- barricade
- bastion
- battlements
- castle
- citadel
- drawbridge
- earthwork
- enceinte
- entanglement
- fort
- fortress
- foxhole
- moat
- moated
- pillbox
- portcullis
- stockade
- stronghold
- turret
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