keep up
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Related to keep up: Keep Up The Good Work, keep up to date
keep
(kēp)v. kept, keep·ing, keeps
v.tr.
1. To retain possession of: kept the change; must keep your composure.
2. To have as a supply: keep spare parts in case of emergency.
3.
a. To provide (a family, for example) with maintenance and support: "There's little to earn and many to keep" (Charles Kingsley).
b. To support (a mistress or lover) financially.
4. To put customarily; store: Where do you keep your saw?
5.
a. To supply with room and board for a charge: keep boarders.
b. To raise: keep chickens.
6. To maintain for use or service: an urbanite who didn't keep a car.
7. To manage, tend, or have charge of: Keep the shop while I'm away.
8. To preserve (food).
9. To cause to continue in a state, condition, or course of action: tried to keep the patient calm.
10.
a. To maintain records or entries in: keep a yearly diary.
b. To enter (data) in a book: keep financial records.
11.
a. To detain: was kept after school.
b. To restrain: kept the child away from the stove; kept the crowd back with barriers.
c. To prevent or deter: tried to keep the ice from melting.
d. To refrain from divulging: keep a secret.
e. To save; reserve: keep extra money for emergencies.
12. To adhere or conform to; follow: keep late hours.
13. To be faithful to; fulfill: keep one's word.
14. To celebrate; observe: keep the Sabbath.
v.intr.
1. To remain in a state or condition; stay: keep in line; keep quiet; kept well.
2. To continue to do: keep on talking; keep guessing.
3. To remain fresh or unspoiled: The dessert won't keep.
4. To restrain oneself; hold oneself back: I couldn't keep from eavesdropping.
n.
Phrasal Verbs: 1. Care; charge: The child is in my keep for the day.
2. The means by which one is supported: earn one's keep.
3.
a. The stronghold of a castle.
b. A jail.
keep at
To persevere in work or an action.
keep down
1. To prevent from growing, accomplishing, or succeeding: keep the revolutionaries down.
2. To hold under control or at a reduced level: Keep your voice down.
3. To refrain from vomiting: Although seasick, I managed to keep my food down.
keep off
To stay away from.
keep to
To adhere to: keep to the original purpose.
keep up
Idioms: 1. To maintain in good condition: kept up the property.
2. To persevere in; carry on: We asked her to stop talking, but she kept it up. To preserve or sustain: kept up the appearance of friendship.
3. To continue at the same level or pace: The snow kept up all day.
4. To continue to pay off (a financial obligation).
5. To match one's competitors, colleagues, or neighbors in success or lifestyle: couldn't keep up with his friends who went into business.
6. To remain adequately informed: loved to keep up on the gossip.
for keeps
1. For an indefinitely long period: gave the ring to me for keeps.
2. Seriously and permanently: We're separating for keeps.
keep an eye on
1. To watch over attentively; mind.
2. To watch closely or carefully: keep your eye on the ball.
keep an eye out
To be watchful.
keep a stiff upper lip
To be courageous or stoic in the face of adversity.
keep company
1. To carry on a courtship: a couple who kept company but never married.
2. To socialize or associate: keeps company with some tough thugs.
keep (one's) chin up
To be stalwart, courageous, or optimistic in the face of difficulty.
keep (one's) eyes open/peeled
To be on the lookout.
keep (one's) nose clean Informal
To stay out of trouble.
keep pace
To stay even with others, as in a contest.
keep (someone) company
To accompany or remain with.
keep the wolf from the door
To avoid the privation and suffering resulting from a lack of money: Both spouses had to work in order to keep the wolf from the door.
keep time
1. To indicate the correct time.
2. Music To maintain the tempo or rhythm.
keep to (oneself)
1. To shun the company of others: She kept to herself all morning.
2. To refrain from divulging: He kept the news to himself.
[Middle English kepen, from Old English cēpan, to observe, seize.]
Synonyms: keep, retain, withhold, reserve
These verbs mean to have and maintain in one's possession or control. Keep is the most general: We received a few offers but decided to keep the house. Retain means to continue to hold, especially in the face of possible loss: Though unhappy, he retained his sense of humor. Withhold implies reluctance or refusal to give, grant, or allow: The tenant withheld his rent until the owner fixed the boiler. To reserve is to hold back for the future or for a special purpose: The farmer reserved two acres for an orchard. See Also Synonyms at observe.
These verbs mean to have and maintain in one's possession or control. Keep is the most general: We received a few offers but decided to keep the house. Retain means to continue to hold, especially in the face of possible loss: Though unhappy, he retained his sense of humor. Withhold implies reluctance or refusal to give, grant, or allow: The tenant withheld his rent until the owner fixed the boiler. To reserve is to hold back for the future or for a special purpose: The farmer reserved two acres for an orchard. See Also Synonyms at observe.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
keep up
vb (adverb)
1. (tr) to maintain (prices, one's morale) at the present level
2. (intr) to maintain a pace or rate set by another
3. (often foll by: with) to remain informed: to keep up with technological developments.
4. (tr) to maintain in good condition
5. (tr) to hinder (a person) from going to bed at night: the excitement kept the children up well past their bedtime.
6. keep it up to continue a good performance
7. keep one's chin up to keep cheerful under difficult circumstances
8. keep one's end up to maintain one's stance or position against opposition or misfortune
9. keep up with to remain in contact with, esp by letter
10. keep up with the Joneses informal to compete with one's neighbours in material possessions, etc
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | keep up - maintain a required pace or level; "He could not keep up and dropped out of the race" |
| 2. | keep up - lengthen or extend in duration or space; "We sustained the diplomatic negotiations as long as possible"; "prolong the treatment of the patient"; "keep up the good work" keep on, retain, continue, keep - 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" | |
| 3. |  keep up - keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction; "We preserve these archeological findings"; "The old lady could not keep up the building"; "children must be taught to conserve our national heritage"; "The museum curator conserved the ancient manuscripts"keep - look after; be the keeper of; have charge of; "He keeps the shop when I am gone" embalm - preserve a dead body plastinate - preserve (tissue) with plastics, as for teaching and research purposes; "The doctor plastinates bodies to teach anatomy to his students" hold the line - hold the line on prices; keep the price of something constant | |
| 4. | keep up - keep informed; "He kept up on his country's foreign policies" | |
| 5. | keep up - prevent from going to bed at night; "The anticipation of the trip kept the children up all night"; "I kept myself up all night studying for the exam" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
keep
verb3. To supply with the necessities of life:
Idiom: take care of.
4. To have or put in a customary place:
5. To remain fresh and unspoiled:
last.
7. To control, restrict, or arrest:
9. To reserve for the future:
10. To carry out the functions, requirements, or terms of:
Idiom: live up to.
11. To act in conformity with:
Idiom: toe the line.
12. To mark (a day or an event) with ceremonies of respect, festivity, or rejoicing:
keep back
phrasal verb
keep offphrasal verb
keep on
To continue without halting despite difficulties or setbacks:
Idioms: hang in there, keep going , keep it up.
keep out
phrasal verb
keep upnoun
1. The means needed to support life:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يُجَارِييَسْتَمِر، يُحافِظ على، يَظَل
držet krok
følge medholde trit medholde vedlige
pysyä mukana
držati korak
halda gangandi/viîhalda í viî
維持する
처지지 않고 따라가다
hålla jämna steg
ตามให้ทัน
devam ettirmekgeri kalmamaksürdürmekyetişmek
theo kịp
keep
(kiːp) – past tense, past participle kept (kept) – verb1. to have for a very long or indefinite period of time. He gave me the picture to keep.
2. not to give or throw away; to preserve. I kept the most interesting books; Can you keep a secret?
3. to (cause to) remain in a certain state or position. I keep this gun loaded; How do you keep cool in this heat?; Will you keep me informed of what happens?
4. to go on (performing or repeating a certain action). He kept walking.
5. to have in store. I always keep a tin of baked beans for emergencies.
6. to look after or care for. She keeps the garden beautifully; I think they keep hens.
7. to remain in good condition. That meat won't keep in this heat unless you put it in the fridge.
8. to make entries in (a diary, accounts etc). She keeps a diary to remind her of her appointments; He kept the accounts for the club.
9. to hold back or delay. Sorry to keep you.
10. to provide food, clothes, housing for (someone). He has a wife and child to keep.
11. to act in the way demanded by. She kept her promise.
12. to celebrate. to keep Christmas.
noun food and lodging. She gives her mother money every week for her keep; Our cat really earns her keep – she kills all the mice in the house.
ˈkeeper noun1. a person who looks after something, eg animals in a zoo. The lion has killed its keeper.
2. a goalkeeper.
ˈkeeping noun care or charge. The money had been given into his keeping.
ˌkeep-ˈfit noun a series or system of exercises, usually simple, intended to improve the physical condition of ordinary people, especially women. She's very keen on keep-fit but it doesn't do her much good; (also adjective) keep-fit exercises.
ˈkeepsake (-seik) noun something given or taken to be kept in memory of the giver. She gave him a piece of her hair as a keepsake.
for keeps permanently. You can have this necklace for keeps.
in keeping with suited to. He has moved to a house more in keeping with his position as a headmaster.
keep away to (cause to) remain at a distance. Keep away – it's dangerous!
keep back1. not to (allow to) move forward. She kept the child back on the edge of the crowd; Every body keep back from the door!
2. not to tell or make known. I feel he's keeping the real story back for some reason.
3. not to give or pay out. Part of my allowance is kept back to pay for my meals; Will they keep it back every week?
keep one's distance to stay quite far away. The deer did not trust us and kept their distance.
keep down1. not to (allow to) rise up. Keep down – they're shooting at us!
2. to control or put a limit on. They are taking steps to keep down the rabbit population.
3. to digest without vomiting. He has eaten some food but he won't be able to keep it down.
keep one's end up to perform one's part in something just as well as all the others who are involved.
keep from to stop oneself from (doing something). I could hardly keep from hitting him.
keep going to go on doing something despite difficulties.
keep hold of not to let go of. Keep hold of those tickets!
keep house (for) to do the cooking, housework etc (for). She keeps house for her brother.
keep in1. not to allow to go or come out or outside. The teacher kept him in till he had finished the work.
2. to stay close to the side of a road etc.
keep in mind to remember and take into consideration later.
keep it up to carry on doing something at the same speed or as well as one is doing it at present. Your work is good – keep it up!
keep off1. to stay away. There are notices round the bomb warning people to keep off; The rain kept off and we had sunshine for the wedding.
2. to prevent from getting to or on to (something). This umbrella isn't pretty, but it keeps off the rain.
keep on to continue (doing something or moving). He just kept on writing; They kept on until they came to a petrol station.
keep oneself to oneself to tell others very little about oneself, and not to be very friendly or sociable.
keep out not to (allow to) enter. The notice at the building site said `Keep out!'; This coat keeps out the wind.
keep out of not to become involved in. Do try to keep out of trouble!
keep time (of a clock etc) to show the time accurately. Does this watch keep (good) time?
keep to not to leave or go away from. Keep to this side of the park!; We kept to the roads we knew.
keep (something) to oneself not to tell anyone (something). He kept his conclusions to himself.
keep up1. to continue, or cause to remain, in operation. I enjoy our friendship and try to keep it up.
2. (often with with) to move fast enough not to be left behind (by). Even the children managed to keep up; Don't run – I can't keep up with you.
keep up with the Joneses (ˈdʒounziz) to have everything one's neighbours have. She didn't need a new cooker – she just bought one to keep up with the Joneses.
keep watch to have the task of staying alert and watching for danger.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
keep up
→ يُجَارِي držet krok holde trit med aufrechterhalten συμβαδίζω aguantar el paso, mantener el ritmo pysyä mukana suivre držati korak tenere il passo 維持する 처지지 않고 따라가다 bijhouden holde ved like podtrzymać acompanhar, manter быть наравне hålla jämna steg ตามให้ทัน devam ettirmek theo kịp 跟上Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009