keep
1. keep \'ke-p\ \'kept\ vb or kept; or keep.ing [ME kepen, fr. OE ce-pan;
akin to OHG chapfe-n to look] 1: OBSERVE, FULFILL : as 1a: to be faithful
to {~ a promise} 1b: to act fittingly in relation to {~ the Sabbath} 1c:
to conform to in habits or conduct {~ late hours} 1d: to stay in accord
with (a beat) {~ time} 2: PRESERVE, MAINTAIN : as 2a: to watch over and
defend {~ us from harm} 2b1: to take care of : TEND {~ a garden} 2b2:
SUPPORT {~ a wife} 2b3: to maintain in a good, fitting, or orderly
condition {~ house ~s his car up} 2c: to continue to maintain {~ silence}
2d1: to cause to remain in a given place, situation, or condition {~)R him
waiting} 2d2: to preserve (food) in an unspoiled condition 2e: to have or
maintain in one's service or at one's disposal {~ a cook} {~ a mistress}
{~ a horse}; also : to lodge or feed for pay {~ boarders} 2f1: to maintain
a record in {~ books} 2f2: to enter in a book {~ records} 2g: to have
customarily in stock for sale 3a: to restrain from departure or removal :
DETAIN {~ chil dren in after school} 3b: to hold back {~ him from going
kept him back with diffic ulty} {kept her feelings in} 3c: SAVE, RESERVE {~
some for later} {kept some ou t for a friend} 3d: to refrain from revealing
{~ a secret} 4a: to retain in one's possession or power {kept the money he
foun d} 4b: WITHHOLD {kept the news back} 4c: to have in control {~ your
temper} 5: to confine oneself to {~s her room} 6a: to stay or continue in
{~ the path} {~ your seat} 6b: to stay or remain on or in against
opposition : HOLD {~R the field under fire} 7: to carry on : CONDUCT,
MANAGE {~ a tearoom} 8: to associate with (company) chiefly Brit 1:
LIVE, LODGE 2a: to maintain a course, direction, or progress {~ right}
2b: to continue usu. without interruption {~ talking} {~ on sm iling} 2c:
to persist in a practice {kept bothering them} {kept on smoking in spite
of warnings} 3: STAY, REMAIN {~ out of the way} {~ off th e grass} : as 3a:
to stay even {try to ~ with the faster boys} {~ up w ith the Joneses} 3b:
to remain in good condition {meat will ~ in the freezer} 3c: to remain
undivulged {the secret would ~} 3d: to call for no immediate action {the
matter will ~ until morni ng} 4: ABSTAIN, REFRAIN {can't ~ from talking}
5: to be in session {school ~s five days a week} M mean not to let go from
one's possession or control. KEEP implies nothing more than this; RETAIN
suggests continued keeping esp. against a threat to seize; DETAIN suggests
a delay in letting go; WITHHOLD suggests delay or refusal to let go or give
often for good reason; RESERVE stresses a keeping for anticipated future
needo notice or honor a day, occasion, or deed. KEEP stresses the idea of
not neglecting or violating; OBSERVE implies punctilious performing of
required acts or ceremonies; CELEBRATE suggests acknowledging an occasion
by festivity or indulgence; COMMEMORATE implies observances that call to
mind the day or event to be celebrated : WATCH : to persist in doing or
concerning oneself with : to go together as frequent companions or in
courtship : to keep in practice : KEEP vi 3a : to keep in step 1a: to
stay in 1b: to limit oneself to 2: to abide by 1: to keep secret 2: to
remain solitary or apart from other people - keep an eye on SYN syn KEEP,
RETAIN, DETAIN, WITHHOLD, RESERVE SYN syn KEEP, OBSERVE, CELEBRATE,
COMMEMORATE mean t
2. keep n archaic 1a: CUSTODY, CHARGE 1b: MAINTENANCE 2: one that keeps
or protects : as 2a: FORTRESS, CASTLE; specif : the strongest and secure
st part of a medieval castle 2b: KEEPER 2c: PRISON, JAIL 3: the means or
provisions by which one is kept 4: a football play in which the
quarterback keeps the ball and runs with it 1a: with the provision that
one keep what he has won 1b: with deadly seriousness 2: PERMANENTLY 3:
with the result of ending the matter - for keeps
Webster's English Dictionary