Definition of: keep

(kēp) v. kept, keep·ing v.t.
1. To have and retain possession or control of; hold.
2. To withhold knowledge of, as a secret.
3. To manage or conduct: to keep a shop.
4. To have charge of; tend: to keep bar.
5. To care for; guard or defend from harm: May God keep you.
6. To be faithful to the conditions of; fulfil, as a promise or contract.
7. To maintain by action or conduct: to keep silence.
8. To cause to continue in some condition or state; preserve unchanged: Keep the home fires burning.
9. To make regular entries in: to keep a diary.
10. To set down in writing; maintain a written record of: to keep accounts.
11. To have regularly for sale: to keep groceries.
12. To provide for or maintain, as with food or lodging.
13. To have in one's employ or for one's use or pleasure.
14. To celebrate or observe, especially with rites or ceremony, as a holiday.
15. To conduct, as a meeting.
16. To detain or restrain; prevent: What kept you?
17. To hold prisoner; confine.
18. To remain; hold to: Keep your present course.
19. To hold or maintain in the same position or state as before: Keep your seat.
—v.i.
20. To continue in a condition, place, or action: They kept firing; Keep to the right–hand side.
21. To remain; stay: often with up, down, in, out, off, away, etc.
22. To remain sound, fresh, etc.: This fruit keeps till spring.
23. Colloq. To be in session: School keeps till three o'clock.
—to keep back
1. To restrain.
2. To withhold.
—to keep in with Colloq. To remain in the good graces of.
—to keep on To continue; persist.
—to keep time
1. To indicate time correctly, as a clock.
2. To make movements in unison or concord with others.
3. To count or observe rhythmic accents.
—to keep track of (or tabs on) To continue to be informed about.
—to keep up
1. To keep pace with; not fall behind.
2. To maintain in good condition or repair.
3. To continue; go on with.
4. To maintain and renew knowledge or information concerning: usually with with or on.
5. To cause to stay awake or out of bed.
—noun
1. Means of subsistence; livelihood.
2. The donjon of a medieval castle; hence, a castle; fortress.
3. That in which something is kept.
—for keeps Colloq. For permanent keeping; for good; for ever. [OE cēpan observe] Synonyms (verb): carry, celebrate, conduct, continue, defend, detain, fulfil, guard, hold, maintain, obey, observe, preserve, protect, refrain, restrain, retain, support, sustain, withhold. Keep, signifying generally to have and retain in possession, is the terse, strong Old English term for many acts which are more exactly discriminated by other words. We keep, observe, or celebrate a festival; we keep or hold a prisoner in custody; we keep or preserve silence, keep the peace, preserve order
—preserve being the more formal word; we keep or maintain a horse, a servant, etc.; a man supports his family; we keep or obey a commandment, keep or fulfil a promise. In the expressions to keep a secret, keep one's own counsel, keep faith or keep the faith, such words as preserve or maintain could not be substituted without loss. A person keeps a shop or store, conducts or carries on a business; he keeps or carries a certain line of goods; we may keep or restrain one from folly, crime, or violence; we keep from or refrain from evil, ourselves. Keep in the sense of guard or defend implies that the defense is effectual. Compare CELEBRATE, OCCUPY, PRESERVE, RESTRAIN, RETAIN. Antonyms: see synonyms for ABANDON.