• a cell in a jail or prison
• the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
• 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"
• prevent (food) from rotting; "preserved meats"; "Keep potatoes fresh"
• observe correctly or closely; "The pianist kept time with the metronome"; "Keep count"; "I cannot Keep track of all my employees"
• maintain by writing regular records; "Keep a diary"; "maintain a record"; "Keep notes"
• 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"
• hold and prevent from leaving; "The student was kept after school"
• retain possession of; "Can I Keep my old stuffed animals?"; "She kept her maiden name after she married"
• look after; be the Keeper of; have charge of; "He Keeps the shop when I am gone"
• maintain for use and service; "I Keep a car in the countryside"; "She Keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips"
• 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"
• store or Keep customarily; "Where do you Keep your gardening tools?"
• retain rights to; "Keep my job for me while I give birth"; "Keep my seat, please"; "Keep open the possibility of a merger"
• allow to remain in a place or position; "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
• Keep under control; Keep in check; "suppress a smile"; "Keep your temper"; "Keep your cool"
• prevent 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"
• celebrate, as of holidays or rites; "Keep the commandments"; "celebrate Christmas"; "Observe Yom Kippur"
• conform one''s action or practice to; "Keep appointments"; "she never Keeps her promises"; "We kept to the original conditions of the contract"
• supply with room and board; "He is Keeping three women in the guest cottage"; "Keep boarders"
• raise; "She Keeps a few chickens in the yard"; "he Keeps bees"
• 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"
• maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger; "May God Keep you"
• fail to spoil or rot; "These potatoes Keep for a long time"

'Keep' in other languages