keep

▪ I. keep, v.
    (kiːp)
    Pa. tense and pple. kept. Forms: inf. 1 (2) cépan, 2–3 kepan, 2–4 -en, (4 -in, 5 -yn), 3–5 kep, 3–6 kepe, 5–7 keepe, (6 keype, Sc. keip(e), 6– keep. pa. tense 1 cépte, 3–5 kepte, (3–4 kipte), 3– kept; 4–5 keped(e, 5 -id, -yd, 5–6 Sc. -it, -yt. pa. pple. 4 i-kept, 4– kept; 6 Sc. kepit.
    [Late OE. cépan: no related words known in the cognate langs.; ulterior etymology unknown. The primary sense in OE. is also difficult to ascertain; the verb appears to have been orig. construed with a genitive.
    The word prob. belonged primarily to the vulgar and non-literary stratum of the language; but it comes up suddenly into literary use c 1000, and that in many senses, indicating considerable previous development. The original sense may have been ‘to lay hold’ with the hands, and hence with the attention, ‘to keep an eye upon, watch’. About 1000, it was taken to render L. observāre (orig. ‘to watch, keep an eye upon, take note of’), and its subsequent development seems to have been largely influenced by the senses of this L. word, nearly all of which it has been used to render. It also renders the simple L. servāre (orig. ‘to watch, observe’), and the compounds conservāre, præservāre, reservāre. In sense there is also close affinity between keep and hold (orig. ‘to keep watch over’, ‘keep in charge’): in many uses they are still synonymous, and many phrases which have now the one verb formerly had the other; but in later usage, at least, keep implies the exercise of stronger effort to retain, so that have, hold, keep, form a series, the members of which pass into each other with progressive intensity of action. Hold has moreover often a sense of ‘sustain, support, keep from falling’, not belonging to keep.
    If cépan was an old word, it would go back to an OTeut. *kôpjan; but no trace of this vb. is found elsewhere. Some compare OE. copián (found only once) = L. ‘compilare’, and ME. copnien to watch or wait for; but uncertainty as to the length of the o in these words makes it doubtful whether they belong to the root kôp-. Kluge (Beiträge VIII. 537) has suggested radical connexion with OHG. chuofa, OLG. kôpa cask, coop (as a thing for holding or keeping). The alleged Flem. kepen in Kilian is an error.
    Uncertainty as to the original sense makes a historical scheme of the sense-development difficult. In the following, some early (and obsolete) senses are placed first under branch I; branch II has the chief trans. senses, *= ‘pay attention, observe’, **= ‘guard, preserve’, ***= ‘hold in custody’, ****= ‘conduct, carry on’; III the intrans. senses derived from these; IV the combinations with adverbs. Although the four groups under II are distinct enough in the primary and literal senses, the distinction tends to melt away in the fig. uses, and esp. in the innumerable phraseological expressions into which keep enters; in several cases these combine the notions of two or more groups. In many phrases, also, the sense of keep is so indefinite and so dependent upon that of the object or complement, as to be scarcely capable of separate analysis; such phrases are treated under the n. or adj. in question: e.g. keep company, keep watch, keep close.]
    I. Early senses (with gen. in OE., afterwards with simple obj.).
    1. To seize, lay hold of; to snatch, take. Obs.

c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 246 Swa hwilcne swa ic cysse, cepað his sona. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 243 Gif hi us ofercumeð ne cepeð hi of hus gold ne selfer bute ure bane. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2950 Eldol, erl of gloucestre..Barnde & kepte her & þer, & slou aboute wyde. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 166 Fulle broþely & brim he kept vp a trencheour.

    † 2. To try to catch or get; to seek after. Obs.

c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 522 Se ðe oðerne lufað..nele he him hearmes cepan. c 1000 St. Basil's Admon. v. (1849) 46 Ne kep ðu..ðinum nextan facnes. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 107 Þet weo on gode weorcas godes luue kepan, and naut idel⁓ȝelp. c 1200 Ormin 1277 Fra þatt hire make iss dæd Ne kepeþþ ȝho nan oþerr.

    † 3. To take in, receive, contain, hold. Obs.

c 1020 Rule St. Benet xxxvi. (Logeman) 67 Ah þa sylfan untruman..ᵹeþyldelice sind to cepanne [L. patienter portandi sunt]. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 399 Tu schalt..to curt cumen seoðen, & kinemede ikepen. c 1325 Body & Soul in Map's Poems (Camden) 344/1 Ȝit schalt thou come..to court, and ich the with, For to kepen ure rihte pay. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 5408 Helle bynethen þat es wyde and depe, Sal þan be open þam to kepe. Ibid. 7371 Helle yhit es swa depe, And swa wyde and large..that it moght kepe Alle the creatures..Of alle the world.

    † 4. To take in with the eyes, ears, or mind; to take note of, mark, behold, observe. Obs.

c 1000 ælfric Hom. I. 580 Zacheus..cepte þæs Hælendes fær, and wolde ᵹeseon hwilc he wære. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. III. 268 Menn maᵹon..cepan be his bleo..hwylc weder toweard byð. c 1127 O.E. Chron. an. 1127 Soðfeste men heom kepten on nihtes. a 1325 Prose Psalter cxxix. [cxxx.] 3 Lord, ȝif þou hast kept [Vulg. si observaveris] wickednes, Lord, who shal holde hem vp? c 1400 Prymer (1895) 53 Lord! if þou kepist wickidnessis, lord! who schal susteyne?

    † b. To watch. Obs.

c 1000 Lambeth Ps. lv. 7 [lvi. 6] (Bosw.) Hiᵹ minne ho oððe hohfot cepaþ oððe beᵹemaþ. 1697 Dryden æneid vi. 476 While the stars and course of heaven I keep, My wearied eyes were seiz'd with fatal sleep.

    † 5. To watch for, wait for, await (a coming event or person). Obs.

c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 172 Ða munecas..ᵹeorne ðæs andaᵹan cepton. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 2457 Þe wununge of euch wunne kepeð and copneð þi cume. c 1290 Magdalena 595 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 161 Seiȝe heom þat huy kepen me aftur þe midniȝhte, For þare ich hopie for to beo. 1470–85 Malory Arthur viii. x, Syre Trystram rode pryuely vnto the posterne where kepte hym la beale Isoud.

    † 6. To lie in wait for, watch for stealthily with hostile purpose; to intercept on the way. Obs.

c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 506 Þa ferde Martinus, and þæt folc his cepte, and hine ᵹelæhton. a 1100 O.E. Chron. (MS. D.) an. 1052 Þa sceoldon cepan Godwines eorles ðe on Brycge wæs. c 1205 Lay. 26887 Whar me heom kepen mihte in ane slade deopen. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1964 A gret erl him kepte þer in a wod bi syde. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 10 Kebriht he kept at Humber, & on him he ran.

    † b. intr. or absol. To lie in ambush. Obs. rare.

c 1205 Lay. 26937 Heo comen in ænne wude..sweoren heom bitwænen þat þer heo wolden kepen.

    † c. trans. To intercept (a missile); to ward off (a stroke). See kep v. Obs.

c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 153 Þe duntes boð uuel to kepen, þet mon nat nefre on hwilche halue ho wilen falle. c 1450 Merlin 223 Frelent raised the axe..And he kepte the stroke upon his shelde.

    † 7. To meet in resistance or opposition; to encounter. Obs.

c 1205 Lay. 23939 Frolle..igræp his spere longe, and kept Arður anan alse he aneoust com. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 307 When non wolde kepe hym with carp he coȝed ful hyȝe. 1375 Barbour Bruce xiv. 197 Soyn with thair fayis assemblit thai, That kepit thame richt hardely. c 1400 Destr. Troy 8332 The knight hym kept, caupit with hym so, That bothe the hathell and his horse hurlit to ground.

    † 8. To intercept or meet in a friendly way; to greet, welcome. Obs.

1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 5028 Againe þe comyng of Ihesu Criste, To kepe him when he doun sal come [cf. 5051 to mete Criste]. c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 1387 Thai..dight tham in thair best aray, To kepe the King that ilk day. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 2004 Þe woman rase..And come Cuthbert for to kepe. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxxi. 48 There mon ye kepe hym at his come.

    II. Transitive uses (in early use also intr.).
    * To have regard, pay attention to, observe.
    † 9. To have regard, to care, to reck; in ME. only with negative: To care nothing, to ‘reck nought’. a. Const. with gen., or of. Obs.

a 1050 O.E. Chron. an. 1013 (MSS. C, E.) Hi nanre brycge ne cepton. c 1200 Ormin 4408 Ȝiff þatt tu nohht ne kepesst her Noff Crist, noff Cristess moderr. c 1290 Beket 998 Go hunnes, of þe ne kepe y noȝt. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 11359 He ne kepte noþing of hor seruise. c 1350 Will. Palerne 4738, I kepe nouȝt of þi kingdom..ne of þi loueli lemman.

    † b. With inf. or obj. clause. To care. Obs.

c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 55 Bute we bileuen ure ufele iwune, Ne kepeð he noht þet we beon sune. c 1200 Ormin 7191 Ȝiff þatt teȝȝ..griþþ Ne kepenn nohht to follȝhenn. a 1250 Owl & Night. 154 Ne kepe ich noht þat þu me clawe. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 2102 Ne how the grekes pleye The wake pleyes ne kepe I nat to seye. ― Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 815, I kepe han [v. rr. to han, haue, to haue, for haue, for to haue] no loos Of my craft. 1477 Sir J. Paston in P. Lett. III. 188 To any suche bargayne I kepe never to be condescentyng. c 1530 Hickscorner in Hazl. Dodsley I. 192 Yet I keepe nat to climbe so hye. 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie i. viii. (Arb.) 36, I kept not to sit sleeping..till a Queene came.

    † c. With simple obj. To care for, to reck of; to regard, desire. Obs.

1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 746 He ansuerede..þat he ne kepte bote hire [Cordelia] one wiþ oute alle oþer þinge. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iv. 156 So þat Concience beo vr counseiler, kepe I no betere. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. xii. 270 But as of grauel lond no thing they kepe. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. cxli, More Ioy in erth kepe I noght bot ȝour grace. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vi. xv, I had kepte no more ioye in this world but to haue thy body dede.

    † 10. intr. To have care, take care; to give heed, attend, look to. Obs.

a 1300 Cursor M. 26170 (Cott.) Es na herd set for to kepe Wit right bot til his aun scepe. c 1340 Ibid. 20099 (Trin.) I shal biteche þe a fere Þat trewely shal kepe [Gött. take kepe] to þe. 1382 Wyclif Zech. xi. 11 The pore of the floc that kepen to me, knewen thus, for it is the word of the Lord. a 1400–50 Alexander 821 Comand kenely hys knyghtez to kepe to hys blonkez.

    11. trans. To pay attention or regard to; to observe, stand to, or dutifully abide by (an ordinance, law, custom, practice, covenant, promise, faith, a thing prescribed or fixed, as a treaty, truce, peace, a set time or day; see further under the ns.).
    In some of these the sense appears to blend with that of ‘maintain, preserve intact’. In this sense it is usually the opposite of disregard, violate, break.

c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 324 Swa swa ða clænan nytenu cepað heora timan. Ibid. I. 102 Nu ᵹe cepað daᵹas and monðas mid ydelum wiᵹlungum [cf. 1382 Wyclif Gal. iv. 10 Ȝe kepen [MS. Q gloss or weyten] dayes [Vulg. dies observatis] and monethis, and tymes]. a 1380 St. Ambrose 1119 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 25 Whon I come at Rome I kepe þe maner of þat fay..To what churche so euer þou cum Þer of kep þou þe custum. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VIII. 19 He bitook his breþeren þre poyntes to kepe, and seide þat he hadde kepte hem..al his lyf tyme. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 195 Obeye and kepe hys comandementes. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xlv. 151, I know you wyll kepe couenaunt with me in that ye haue promysyd me. 1549 Latimer 3rd Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 87 Thy Iudges are vnfaythefull, they kepe no touche..they wil pretende this and that, but thei kepe no promise. 1563 Winȝet Four Scoir Thre Quest. Wks. 1888 I. 115 St. Paull commandit..his traditionis to be keipit. 1668 R. Steele Husbandman's Calling x. (1672) 273 As breaking rules turn'd the first husbandman out of Paradise, so keeping rules will bring you into Paradise again. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 41 ¶7 It is certain no Faith ought to be kept with Cheats. 1867 Trollope Chron. Barset II. lxxx. 346 A gentleman should always keep his word to a lady. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xii. 246 Such an oath was one which he certainly had no thought of keeping. 1891 G. Meredith One of our Conq. III. xii. 252 He rose; he had to keep an appointment.

    12. To observe with due formality and in the prescribed manner (any religious rite, ceremony, service, feast, fast, or other occasion); to celebrate, solemnize.

1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) VI. 53 Ordeynenge þe faste of Lente to be kepede in his realme. 1463 Bury Wills (Camden) 17 The wiche messe of our lady I wille the Seynt Marie preest kepe in a whith vestement. 1535 Coverdale 1 Sam. xxx. 16 They were scatred vpon all y⊇ grounde, eatinge and drynkynge, and kepynge holy daye. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI, 167 b, Sent to the towre of London, where he without great solempnitie, kept a dolefull Christmas. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 224 But what tyme the maryage was in maner appointed to be kept, he died. Ibid. 451 b, Kyng Ferdinando kept her funerall at Auspurge. 1687 W. Sherwin in Magd. Coll. (O.H.S.) 216 They..keep disputations and other exercises. 1774 J. Hawley in J. Adams' Wks. (1854) IX. 344 He keeps Sabbath at Boston. 1801 Strutt Sports & Past. iii. i. 133 To keep the justs in a place appointed. 1877 C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. I. 4 The King was keeping the feast of Easter. 1887 Bowen Virg. Eclogues iii. 76 To-day my birthday is kept.

    13. To observe by attendance, presence, residence, performance of duty, or in some prescribed or regular way.
    Formerly in to keep church, keep evensong, keep market, etc.; now chiefly in to keep chapels, keep halls, keep roll-call (at college or school), to keep (prescribed) terms, keep residence, etc. Also, in weakened sense, to keep regular or proper (and so irregular, late, early) hours. See the ns.

1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye 29 They that kepe the Chyrch ar parteners of theyr mynistracion. 1479 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 426 The Maire & Shiref shall..kepe theire Aduent sermondes. 15.. in Pref. to Ld. Berners' Froiss. (1812) 13 The King hymselfe..kepte euensong of saynt george in his robe of the garters. 1608 Bp. Hall Virtues & V. ii. 83 Hee..asks what fare is usuall at home, what houres are kept. a 1653 Binning Serm. (1845) 607 They know not how to be saved, unless their prayers do it, or their keeping the kirk. a 1713 T. Ellwood Autobiog. (1714) 81 A Dyer of Oxford, who constantly kept Thame Market. 1738 Swift Pol. Conversat. 125 What! you keep Court-Hours I see. 1746 Wesley Wks. (1872) XII. 76, I keep my church as well as any man. 1821 Shelley Ginevra 102 And left her at her own request to keep An hour of quiet and rest. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet ch. x, I keep the kirk, and I abhor Popery—I have stood up for the House of Hanover. 1852 Thackeray Esmond i. x, So long as he kept his chapels, and did the college exercises required of him. 1894 Ld. Wolseley Life Marlborough I. 229 Early hours were generally kept.

    ** To guard (from external violence or injury), to preserve, maintain.
    14. To guard, defend, protect, preserve, save. (Const. from, † of.) a. a person.

c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 71 Þu..kep us from his waning, Þat laþe gast, þet laþe þing. a 1300 Cursor M. 14075, I sal þe kepe forth fra þis dai. c 1330 Spec. Gy Warw. 48 To kepen his soule from þe qued. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. Prol. 125 Crist kepe þe, sire kyng. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 272/2 Kepyn, custodio, servo, conservo. c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn xiv. 48 His goode shelde kept hym. 1593 T. Watson Tears Fancie xxii. Poems (Arb.) 189 My Mistres slept: And with a garland..Her daintie forehead from the sunne ykept. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, v. i. 71 God bu'y you, and keepe you, and heale your pate. 1669 Bunyan Holy Citie 18 It is called a City..to shew us how strong and securely it will keep its Inhabitants at that day. 1697 Ken Evening Hymn i, Keep me, O keep me, King of kings, Beneath Thine own Almightly wings. 1719 Hamilton 3rd Ep. to Ramsay xiii, May thou..Be keeped frae the wirricow, After thou's dead. 1887 Swinburne Locrine iv. i. 234 God keep my lord!

    b. a thing.

c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3378 He let bi-aften ðe more del, To kepen here ðing al wel. a 1300 Cursor M. 10035 (Gött.) Þer standis thre baylis widvte, Þat wele kepis þat castel For [vr. from] arw, schott and quarel. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 161 Bernard of Bayoun, þat was kepand þe se. c 1380 Antecrist in Todd Three Treat. Wyclif (1851) 129 To kepe þe chaumbur and halle of noyse and dyn. c 1470 Gaw. & Gol. 44 The yettis war clenely kepit with ane castell. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lii. 177 It were better for the to..helpe to kepe a towne or a castell. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 400 b, The horsemen were left..to defende and kepe the passage. 1672 R. Montagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm) I. 519 To help in keeping my corner against your enemies and mine. 1683 Plymouth Col. Rec. (1856) VI. 114 Keeping the dores and not opening them to the said John Irish when hee come. 1842 Macaulay Horatius xxix, Now who will stand on either hand, And keep the bridge with me? 1892 St. Nicholas Mag. XIV. 541/2 They're not keeping our goal as they ought to.

    c. from some injurious operation or accident.

1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 177 Thai kepit that fra distroying. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvi. xciv. (MS. Bodl.) lf. 183/2 Salte..kepeþ and saueþ dede bodies fro rotinge. 1579 Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 61 Keepe your sweete faces from scorching. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. iii. ii. 59 To keepe him from stumbling. 1631 Gouge God's Arrows iii. §65. 304 They were wont..to annoint their rolles..with a liquour..which kept them from rotting.

    † d. refl. To defend oneself; to be on one's guard. Obs.

c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 59 To blecen..his nome and kepen us from hearm and scome. c 1375 Cursor M. 10071 (Laud) Was no man..Might kepe hym from that fend felle. c 1400 Destr. Troy 7860 We are folke full fele..Assemblit in this Cite oure seluyn to kepe. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ix. xvii, Sir Tristram drewe oute his swerd, and said, sire Kehydius, kepe the. 1535 Coverdale Jer. ix. 4 One must kepe him⁓self from another. 1634 W. Tirwhyt tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. I.) 15, I keepe my selfe as carefully as though I were composed of christall.

    † 15. To be on one's guard against some action or occurrence; to take care, beware (that{ddd}). a. refl. Obs.

c 1340 Cursor M. 8389 (Trin.), I haue me kept þat neuer oþer wiþ me siþen slept. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 372 ‘Kepe þe, cosyn’, quoth þe kyng, ‘þat þou on kyrf sette’. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 179/1 Kepe y⊇ wel that thou telle thys vysyon to no man.

    † b. intr. or with obj. clause. Obs.

c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints iii. (Andrew) 216 Þe Iuge..dange hym in a dongeone depe, Þat he na schapit bad to kepe [= bade to take care that he escaped not]. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 130 Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe That no drope ne fille vp on hire brist. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxiii. 108 Before þe dure standez certayne lordes..for to kepe þat nane entre in at þe dure. c 1500 Melusine 112 Kepe wel ye borow nothing but that ye may yeld it ayen. 1526 Tindale Pathw. Script. Wks. (Parker Soc.) I. 23 We tame the flesh therewith..and keep that the lusts choke not the word of God.

    16. To take care of, look to the well-being of; to look after, watch over, tend, have charge of. a. a person.

c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2625 Ghe kepte it wel in fostre wune, Ghe knew it for hire owen sune. a 1300 Cursor M. 16761 Als for his moder Iohn hir keped, And in his ward hir toke. c 1350 Will. Palerne 66 Wiȝtliche wiþ þe child he went to his house, and bitok it to his wif tiȝtly to kepe. 1420 in E.E. Wills (1882) 54, I will þat þ⊇ Nonne þat kepid me in my seknes haue ij nobles. 1513 More Rich. III (1883) 38 Mans law serueth the gardain to kepe the infant. The law of nature wyll the mother kepe her childe. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, ii. i. 33 Cal'st thou mee Hoste..I sweare I scorne the terme: nor shall my Nel keep Lodgers.

    b. cattle or the like.

c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2772 Moyses was numen..for te loken hirdnesse fare; Riche men ðo kepten swilc ware. c 1350 Will. Palerne 8 Þis cowherd comes..to kepen is bestes Fast by-side þe borwȝ. c 1400 Three Kings Cologne 29 Þe schepherdes of þat contrey..be wonte to kepe her flok of schepe in þe nyȝt. 1526 Tindale Luke xv. 15 A citesyn..sent hym to the felde to kepe [1611 feed] his swyne. 1535 Coverdale 1 Sam. xvi. 11 There is yet one..and beholde, he kepeth [so 1611 and R.V.] the shepe. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. i. i. 40 Shall I keepe your hogs, and eat huskes with them? 1632 Lithgow Trav. iii. 93 Flockes of them feeding in the fields, and usually kept by children. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 567 This Neptune gave him, when he gave to keep His scaly Flocks. 1801 Strutt Sports & Past. ii. ii. 65 David, who kept his father's sheep.

    c. a thing.

a 1300 Cursor M. 5292 Þe lordshipe of al þis lond To reule & kepe is in myn hond. a 1325 Maudelein 1 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 163 Martha keped swiþe wel Hir londes. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xii. 115 Archa dei in þe olde lawe leuites it kepten. c 1386 Chaucer Doctor's T. 85 A theef of venysoun, that hath forlaft..his olde craft, Kan kepe a fforest best of any man. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lii. 10 Ȝour Hienes can nocht gett ane meter To keip ȝour wardrope. 1535 Coverdale Exod. xxii. 7 Yf a man delyuer his neghboure money or vessels to kepe, and it be stollen from him out of his house [etc.]. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xi. 13 b, The Caddy, which keepeth the town upon tribute under the king of Alger. 1712–14 Pope Rape Lock v. 115 There Hero's wits are kept in pond'rous vases. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. xxiii, The shadow cloak'd from head to foot, Who keeps the keys of all the creeds.

    d. to keep wicket: see wicket 3. Also absol., to act as wicket-keeper.

1862 Baily's Monthly Mag. Aug. 85 The Surrey people..selecting..a John Walker to keep. 1920 P. F. Warner Cricket Reminisc. 161 Lockyer ‘kept’ for the Players on and off between 1854 and 1866. 1931 N. & Q. 14 Feb. 121/2 Alfred [Lyttelton], of course, ‘kept’ for England. 1959 Times 29 June 11/4 One of Somerset's clerical wearers of the gloves..who, after ‘keeping’ to W. G...recorded that not a single ball had passed the bat.

    17. To maintain or preserve in proper order.

1382 Wyclif Ecclus. xliii. 4 Kepende the furneys in the werkis of brennyng. c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 138 Wel may the sike man biwaille and wepe Ther as ther nys no wyf the hous to kepe. 1463 Bury Wills (Camden) 28 Yeerly to the Sexteyn..viijs. to kepe the clokke. 1667 Milton P.L. viii. 320 This Paradise I give thee, count it thine To Till and keep. 1699 Lister Journ. Paris 188 This is the only House in Paris I saw kept..with the most exact cleanliness and neatness, Gardens and all. 1827 H. Steuart Planter's G. (1828) 352 This space is kept with the scythe. 1862 Temple Bar Mag. IV. 259 His rooms were as neatly kept as those of a woman.

    18. To maintain continuously in proper form and order (a record, diary, journal, accounts of money received and paid, etc.). to keep books, to make the requisite entries in a merchant's books so that these shall always represent the state of his commercial relations: see book-keeping.

1552 Ordre Hosp. St. Barthol. B v b (Treasurer) Ye shal also kepe one seueral accompte betweene the Renter & you. Ibid. C j (Almoner) Keping one entier and perfecte Inuentarie..in a boke. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 175 Notaryes and scribes..whyche shoulde penne, and kepe althynges diligentelye. 1604 E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies iv. vii. 226 The first Registers of Entries are not so exactly kept as at this day. 1633 Massinger Guardian i. i, A hopeful youth, to keep A merchant's book. 1751 C. Labelye Westm. Br. 66 The keeping proper Accounts of these was..allotted to Richard Graham. 1803 Pic Nic No. 14 (1806) II. 251 He had kept a diary of all his transactions. 1869 W. Longman Hist. Edw. III, I. xiv. 262 No record was kept of the losses of the English. 1891 Speaker 2 May 531/1 The useful habit of keeping commonplace books.

    19. To provide for the sustenance of; to provide with food and clothing and other requisites of life; to maintain, support. Also refl.

1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. Prol. 76 Thus þey geuen here golde glotones to kepe [A. Prol. 73 Glotonye to helpen]. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 960 Than Schir Rauf gat rewaird to keip his Knichtheid. 15.. in Dunbar's Poems (S.T.S.) 306/44 Spend pairt of the gude thow wan, And keip the ay with honestie. 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Scornf. Lady iii. ii, What shall become of my poor family? They..must keep themselves. 1668 R. Steele Husbandman's Calling ii. (1672) 16 A husbandman is a man..that makes the ground that bred him keep him. 1858 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XIX. i. 207 The land would barely keep the cows. 1889 Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Thro' the Long Night I. i. viii. 131 Should he ever be able to keep a wife? Mod. He cannot keep himself yet, but is dependent on his parents.

    b. Const. in (the particular item provided).

1888 Miss Tytler Blackhall Ghosts II. xix. 117 Jem has to keep us in everything, in clothes as well as the rest. 1890 Mrs. H. Wood House of Halliwell I. xii. 323 He kept the younger ladies in gloves.

    20. To maintain, employ, entertain in one's service, or for one's use or enjoyment: in reference to animals or things, there is a mingling of the sense of possession.

a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV, 233 b, [He] caused .iij. C. men of armes to be kept secretly in their capitaynes houses. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. i. i. 284, I keepe but three Men, and a Boy yet, till my Mother be dead. 1607 ― Timon iv. iii. 200 Because thou dost not keepe a dogge. 1637 Star Chamb. Decree §28 No Master-Founder..shall keepe aboue two Apprentices. 1789 Brand Hist. Newcastle II. 237 November 24th 1697, there is an order of this society forbidding the apprentices..to keep horses, dogs for hunting, or fighting cocks. 1833 H. Martineau Briery Creek iii. 63 This morning, you thought of no such thing as keeping pigs. 1853 Lynch Self-Improv. v. 104 A man..who ‘keeps a gig’, but cannot ‘afford to keep a conscience’. 1860 Temple Bar Mag. I. 42 Rich men kept a newsmonger, as they kept a valet. 1893 National Observer 6 May 619/2 He need not himself keep chickens.

    b. to keep a woman as mistress: to keep a newspaper as a hired organ: cf. kept 1.

1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 49 Others kept harlots, and lived dishonestly. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. i. 104 They say, he keepes a Troyan Drab. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 36 Giving a box on the ear to a Lord that kept her for a time. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 276 ¶3, I am kept by an old Batchelor. 1728 Young Love Fame iii. 196 Philander..In secret loves his wife, but keeps her maid. 1895 M. M. Dowie Gallia 114 It was habitual for women to disapprove of a man who kept a mistress.

    21. To have habitually in stock or on sale.

1706 Wooden World Diss. (1708) 57 The worser Liquor he keeps, the more he brews his own Profit. 1851 Hawthorne Ho. Sev. Gables iii. 41 [She] gave her hot customer to understand that she did not keep the article.

    † 22. refl. To conduct or comport oneself, behave. Obs.

1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 92 Kynges and knihtes scholde kepen hem bi Reson. c 1386 Chaucer Doctor's T. 106 This mayde..So kept hir self, hir neded no maistresse. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 272, I tauȝte him how he schulde kepe him-silf, and how he schulde diete him-silf.

    23. To preserve in being or operation; to maintain, retain, or continue to hold (a quality, state, or condition) or to practise or exercise (a habit or action). Cf. keep up in 57 d, e.
    Hence in many phrases, as to keep silence; to keep affinity, companionship, company, consort, converse, correspondence; to keep compass, measure, pace, step, time, tune, wing (with); to keep guard, a look out, sentinel, ward, watch: for which when the sense is specialized, see the ns.

c 1315 Shoreham 11 The prestes so thries duppeth..gode ȝeme kepeth The ned. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvii. (Machor) 343 He kepyt ay his innocens. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 21 So þat þei kepen pacience and charite. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 42 Crist kepid ai þat state. c 1470 Henry Wallace xi. 316 That king till him kepit kyndnes and luff. a 1480 in Babees Bk. 20/52 Honoure and curtesy loke þou kepe. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xxix. 18 Than mon I keip ane grauetie. 1530 Palsgr. 596/2, I kepe abstynence, I forbeare meate and drinke. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII, 261 b, Charitie is not kept amongest you. 1552 Huloet, To kepe bawdrye or whoredome. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 32 Now almost no countrie kepeth either weight or measure one with the other to the great hurt of the Realme. 1597 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, v. iv. 65 Two Starres keepe not their motion in one Sphere. 1603 ― Meas. for M. ii. i. 5 Let it keepe one shape. 1632 B. Jonson Magn. Lady ii. i. Wks. (Rtldg.) 447/1 You, that will keep consort with such fidlers. 1651 Wittie tr. Primrose's Pop. Err. iii. ii. 138 The Ancients..did keep a fequent use of baths and frictions. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 331 To make them [Lamb-skins] keep their Curl. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1823) II. iii. 51 To keep no farther correspondence with duke Hamilton. 1750 Gray Elegy xix, Along the cool sequester'd vale of life They kept the noiseless tenour of their way. 1818 Shelley Rev. Islam ii. xviii, Did Laon and his friend..a lofty converse keep. 1822 ― Hellas 18 Who now keep That calm sleep. 1890 F. M. Crawford Cigarette-maker's Rom. I. iii. 99 The Count himself kept his composure admirably.

    24. With complement: To preserve, maintain, retain, or cause to continue, in some specified condition, state, place, position, action, or course.
    The complement may be an adj., n., pple., adv., or prep. phrase, e.g. to keep alive, clean, close, dark, dry, fast, holy, open, secret, still, sweet, warm; to keep a prisoner, a secret; to keep going, shut; to keep at arm's length, at bay, at it, at work, in countenance, in readiness, in repair, in suspense, in touch, out of mischief, to time, etc. For these in specialized senses, and for phrases, such as to keep the ball rolling, the pot boiling, one's hair on, one's eye upon, one's eyes about one, one's head above water, etc., see the adjs. or ns.

c 1340 Hampole Prose Tr. 8 Scho [the bee] kepes clene and bryghte hire winges. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 623 Þe dore closed Kayed and cliketted to kepe þe with-outen. 1414 Brampton Penit. Ps. xix. (Percy Soc.) 8 My synne[s], that I in schryfte schulde schewe, I kepe hem clos for schame or fere. a 1500 in Babees Bk. 19/42 Yt kepys hym out offe synne & blame. Ibid. 21/66 Hande, fote, & fynger kepe þou styll. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xlviii. 70 Scho bad eik Juno..That scho the hevin suld keip amene and dry. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iii. xxii. 112 To keepe the Arabians..in greater sobriety. Ibid. iv. xv. 130 They..kept the portes and passages so shutte, that they kept away the corne. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, iii. ii. 28 That Power that made you King Hath power to keepe you King. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 119 It is necessary that their kennel be kept sweet and dry. 1657 R. Ligon Barbadoes (1673) 102 To keep it continually in the shade. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 125, I kept the Coolies to their Watch. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 263 ¶4 It is [thus]..that Hatreds are kept alive. Ibid. No. 264 ¶2 While he could keep his Poverty a Secret. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) V. 126 He is..still kept fast by a string. 1840 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. I. iii. 225 The ploughmen could scarcely keep their ploughs in the ground. 1845 Ford Handbk. Spain i. 66 Keep the door shut and the devil passes by. 1854 Dickens Hard T. i. xiv, In the daytime old Bounderby has been keeping me at it rather. 1883 G. M. Fenn Middy & Ensign xxxi, I'll keep him to his promise. 1890 T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. fr. 1689. 48 He kept the merchants and tradesmen Whigs by his sound commercial..measures. 1891 Temple Bar Mag. Feb. 281 There was the steam-kettle to keep on the boil. 1892 National Observer 17 Dec. 100/1 It promises help..to keep him in funds when he is out on strike.

    b. refl. To preserve or maintain oneself, or continue, in such condition, etc. (Hence the intrans. use in 39.)

1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 169 Curatours þat schulden kepe hem clene of heore bodies. a 1380 Virg. Antioch 137 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 27, I may me kepe chast eueridel. c 1400 Destr. Troy 10513 Kepis you in couer, cleane out of sight! c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 2835 This traitour kept him close that night. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxiv. 512 Baron, kepe you by reynawde. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xxi. 64 Yf ye can kepe your selfe without spekynge to hym, ye maye than well skape. 1549 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrimony, Wilt thou..forsaking all other kepe thee only to her, so long as you both shall liue? 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. iv. 3 b, Theyr watches keepe themselves in an ambush neare unto a wood. 1788 W. Blane Hunt. Excurs. 15 The Prince, by laying hold of the Howdah, kept himself in his seat. 1879 Browning Martin Relph 32 The many and loyal should keep themselves unmixed with the few perverse.

    *** To detain or hold in custody, restraint, concealment, etc.; to prevent from escaping or being taken from one.
    25. To hold as a captive or prisoner; to hold in custody or in restraint of personal liberty; to prevent from escaping.

c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 219 Þat kept him in prisoun, Edward did him calle. 1375 Barbour Bruce xviii. 512 He..bad haf him avay in hy, And luk he kepit war stratly. 1382 Wyclif Acts xvi. 23 Thei senten hem into prisoun, commaundinge to the kepere that he diligentli schulde kepe hem. c 1400 Destr. Troy 12084 Þat commly be keppet, ne in cloese haldyn. 1526 Tindale Acts xxviii. 16 Paul was suffered to dwell alone with wone soudier that kept hym. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. vii. 6 They kept me as prisoner. 1892 Law Times XCIII. 414/2 He did not think that the defendant ought to be kept in prison any longer.

    26. To retain in a place or position by moral constraint; to restrain from going away; to cause or induce to remain; to detain. Also fig.

1653 Middleton & Rowley Changeling v. iii, Keep life in him for further tortures. 1782 Cowper Progr. Err. 416 A dunce that has been kept at home. 1801 Pitt in G. Rose's Diaries (1860) I. 291, I have been kept till this instant. 1877 C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. xxix. 291 Colet would fain have kept Erasmus to lecture at Oxford. 1885 E. F. Byrrne Entangled II. xviii. 29 Don't let me keep you. 1890 Clark Russell Ocean Trag. I. ii. 31 There was nothing to keep me in England.

    27. To hold back, prevent, withhold; to restrain, control. Const. from (off, out of).

c 1340 Cursor M. 2893 (Fairf.) Ihesu criste ȝou kepe fra syn. c 1460 Urbanitas 74 in Babees Bk. 15 In chambur among ladyes bryȝth Kepe thy tonge and spende thy syȝth. 1539 Bible (Great) Ps. xxxiv. 13 Kepe thy tonge from euell. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 355 Yea they..have not kept their handes also from yonge babes and children. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. i. 160 The Earle of Salisbury..hardly keepes his men from mutinie. 1642 Milton Apol. Smect. viii, How hard is it when a man meets with a Foole to keepe his tongue from folly! 1650 Weldon Crt. Jas. I 139 The Bishops might have done better to have kept their voyces. 1729 Butler Serm. Balaam Wks. 1874 II. 87 Those partial regards to his duty..might keep him from perfect despair. 1858 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XIX. i. 184 A cold, dry spring may keep the seed from germinating.

    b. refl. To restrain oneself, refrain, hold back; to abstain. (Hence intr., sense 43.)

1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 954 Gude it es þat a man him kepe Fra worldisshe luf and vany worshepe. c 1460 in Babees Bk. 13/19 Fro spettyng & snetyng kepe þe also. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour D v b, This is a good ensample to awarraunt and kepe hymself of fals beholdynge. c 1500 Melusine xxxvi. 295 Hys brother coude not kepe hym, but he asked after Melusyne. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lix. 205 He..coude not a kept hym selfe fro lawghynge. 1601 Shakes. Two Gent. iv. iv. 11 'Tis a foule thing, when a cur cannot keepe himselfe in all companies. 1892 Black & White 26 Nov. 610/1, I shall not be able to keep myself from strangling her.

    28. To withold from present use, to reserve; to lay up, store up. refl. To reserve oneself.

c 1340 Cursor M. 970 (Fairf.) Of alkyn frute þat ys þine Kepe me þe teynde for þat ys myne. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) v. 52 The Gerneres..to kepe the greynes for the perile of the dere ȝeres. 1535 Coverdale 2 Esdras ix. 21, I..haue kepte me a wynebery of the grapes. 1579 Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 17 Philip..exhorted his friends to keepe their stomackes for the seconde course. 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi. 258 The water of Jordan..the longer it is kept, it is the more fresher. 1822 Shelley Hellas 879 The Anarchs..keep A throne for thee. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. II. x. 428 The..Chronicler..seems rather to keep himself for great occasions. 1875 Ibid. (ed. 2) III. xii. 77, I have purposely kept that question for this stage of my history.

    29. Actively to hold in possession; to retain in one's power or control; to continue to have, hold, or possess. Also absol. (The opposite of to lose: now a leading sense.)

c 1400 Mandeville xxiii. (1839) 252 Thei con wel wynnen lond of Straungeres, but thei con not kepen it. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. vi. (1885) 121 It is power to mowe haue and kepe to hym self. c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 1935 Off ryches he kepyt no propyr thing; Gaiff as he wan. 1559 Mirr. Mag., Dk. Suffolk viii, To get and kepe not is but losse of payne. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, i. iii. 213 Ile keepe them all. By heauen, he shall not haue a Scot of them. 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. iii. iii. §8 With what care they are got, with what fear they are kept, and with what certainty they must be lost. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1823) I. ii. 159 The great art of keeping him long was, the being easy, and the making everything easy to him. 1803 Pic Nic No. 8 (1806) II. 41 These poets now keep but a feeble hold of the stage. 1861 Temple Bar Mag. III. 336 The variety keeps the children's attention. 1890 Lippincott's Mag. May 632 His slim forefinger between its leaves to keep the place. Mod. The difficulty now is not to make money, but keep it; you make it and lose it.

    † b. to keep one's own = to hold one's own (hold v. 31). keep your luff, offing, wind: see the ns.

1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. ix. 39 If you would..keepe your owne, that is, not..fall to lee-ward.

    c. fig. in phrases, as to keep one's temper (i.e. not to lose it): see the ns.
    † d. ellipt. To retain in the memory, remember.

1573 Baret Alv. I 27 We keepe those thinges most surely, that we learne in youth. 1612 Brinsley Lud. Lit. 141 Thus they shall keepe their Authours, which they haue learned.

    e. Colloq. phr. you (etc.) can keep (something): it arouses no desire, envy, or interest in me; I am not interested in (it), I do not like (it).

1956 J. Popplewell in Plays of Year 1955 XIII. 335 Robert. My hobby's writing plays. Tom. You can keep it. 1962 M. Drabble Summer Bird-Cage i. 8 The reviews..talk about his delicate perception and keen wit, but for me they can keep them. 1967 R. Wilkinson Pressure Men viii. 72, I felt better here. They could keep London. 1971 Guardian 11 Dec. 5/1 They're a miserable lot of sods. If that is an example of the spirit of the people of Windsor, they can keep it. 1973 Ibid. 12 Apr. 13/3 It makes me a bit sick actually and they can keep their mag as far as I am concerned.

    30. To withhold (from): implying exertion or effort to prevent a thing from going or getting to another.

c 1461 Paston Lett. II. 73 It is a comon proverbe, ‘A man xuld kepe fro the blynde and gevyt to is kyn’. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 282 Mine adversary, who kepeth wrongfully from me mine heritage. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iv. xvi. 131 Where they would not receive his salvation, the same for ever shalbe kept from them. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 746 Great are thy Vertues, doubtless, best of Fruits, Though kept from Man.

    31. To hide, conceal; not to divulge. Chiefly in phr., as to keep counsel, a secret: see the ns.

1382 Wyclif Isa. xlviii. 6 Thingus..kept ben that thou knowist not. c 1400 Rom. Rose 2858 A felowe that can welle concele, And kepe thi counselle, and welle hele. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 321 b, To the promotours they promise a reward and to kepe their counsel. 1781 D. Williams tr. Voltaire's Dram. Wks. II. 233 Take the money and keep the secret. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest xvii, ‘You must keep our secret, Oswald’. 1859 Thackeray Virgin. xxi, There is no keeping any thing from you. 1888 G. Gissing Life's Morn. II. xiv. 227 For a week he kept his counsel, and behaved as if nothing unusual had happened.

    32. To continue to follow (a way, path, course, etc.), so as not to lose it or get out of it.

c 1425 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 256 Thowgh ye wepe yet shal ye before me Ay kepe your course. 1553 S. Cabot in Hakluyt Voy. (1589) 259 All courses in Navigation to be set and kept by the aduice of the Captain. 1595 Shakes. John ii. i. 339 Vnlesse thou let his siluer Water, keepe A peacefull progresse to the Ocean. 1598 ― Merry W. iii. ii. 1 Nay keepe your way..you were wont to be a follower, but now you are a Leader. 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi. 258 The Friers and Souldiers removed; keeping their course towards Jericho. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. ix, We kept no path. 1870 E. Peacock Ralf Skirl. II. 98 Taking care to keep the middle of the road. 1892 Field 21 May 777/1 How the driver kept the track is a marvel.

    33. To stay or remain in, on, or at (a place); not to leave; esp. in to keep one's bed, keep one's room (as in sickness); to keep the house. Cf. keep to, 44 b.

1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) i. xxii. (1859) 25 Thou kepyst now thy bed. Thyne ydlenes and slouthe hath this y bred. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 1526 His doghtre Clarionas She kept the chambre, as Reason was. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xlix. 69 These engyns dyd cast night and day great stones..so that they within were fayne to kepe vautes and sellars. 1534–1828 [see bed n. 6 c]. 1542–1864 [see house n. 17 d]. 1575 Laneham Let. (1871) 33 The weather being hot, her highnes kept the Castl for coolness. 1647 Trapp Comm., Titus II. 343 The Aegyptian women ware no shoes, that they might the better keep home. 1667 Sir E. Lyttelton in Hatton Corr. (Camden) 51, I have kept my chamber ever since last Tuesday. 1796 Jane Austen Pride & Prej. xiii, My poor mother is really ill, and keeps her room. 1885 E. Lawless Millionaire's Cousin iv. 76 Am I bound to keep my own side of the partition?

    b. To stay or retain one's place in or on, against opposition; as to keep the deck, keep the saddle, keep the field, keep the stage, keep one's seat, keep one's ground.

1599 Shakes. Hen. V, iv. vi. 2 But all's not done, yet keepe the French the field. 1632 Lithgow Trav. iii. 99 The tempest continuing (our Boate not being able to keepe the Seas) we were constrained to seeke into a Creeke. 1748 Anson's Voy. iii. i. 298 Only sixteen men, and eleven boys were capable of keeping the deck. 1823 Blackw. Mag. XIV. 555 Not a single tragedy of Beaumont and Fletcher's has been able to keep the stage. 1835 Thirlwall Greece I. iv. 113 It [the story] kept its ground in spite of the interest..in distorting or suppressing it. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 579 The wonder is..that they were able to keep their seats. 1890 Blackw. Mag. CXLVIII. 435/2 A first-class boat, capable of keeping the sea all the year round.

    **** To carry on, conduct, hold.
    34. To carry on, conduct, as presiding officer or a chief actor (an assembly, court, fair, market, etc.); = hold v. 8.

1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) V. 119 [Silvester] whiche kepede the firste grete cownsayle of Nicene. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon 202 He wolde kepe parlyamente wyth them. 1535 Coverdale 2 Macc. iv. 43 Of these matters therfore there was kepte a courte agaynst Menelaus. 1546 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 222 In the same Towne there ys a merkett, wekely kepte. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iii. xvii. 102 b, There..they kept a generall chapter or assembly. 1634 W. Wood New Eng. Prosp. (1865) 42 This Towne [Boston]..being the Center of the Plantations where the monthly Courts are kept. 1752 Fielding Amelia xi. iii, His wife soon afterwards began to keep an assembly, or, in the fashionable phrase, to be ‘at home’ once a week. 1877 C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. xxi. 196 Henry was keeping court at Lincoln, where he meant to spend Easter.

    35. To carry on and manage, to conduct as one's own (an establishment or business, a school, shop, etc.). to keep house: see house n. 17 a, b.

1513 More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 761 Edward the Noble Prince..kept his house at Ludlow in Wales. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. iii. ii. 81 Like a Pedant that keepes a Schoole i' th Church. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 29 He kept an Inn common to all passengers. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 194 Barbers..seldom keep Shop, but go about the City with a checquered Apron over their Shulders. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 155 ¶2, I keep a Coffee-house. 1847 Knickerbocker XXX. 511 A girl whose education does not qualify her for ‘keeping school’. 1849 E. Chamberlain Indiana Gazetteer (ed. 3) 196 There are in the County..school houses in which schools are kept, a portion of the year, in most of the school districts. 1867 ‘T. Lackland’ Homespun ii. 264 Mr. John Porringer..‘kept’ this school, and was in the way of keeping it so long as he lived and liked. 1877 W. O. Russell Crimes & Misdem. ii. xxviii. 427 The keeping a bawdy-house is a common nuisance. 1890 Harper's Mag. Oct. 747/2 They came here and kept lodgings.

    36. To carry on, maintain; to continue to make, cause, or do (an action, war, disturbance, or the like). Cf. keep up, 57 f.

c 1425 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1825 In man shall thow fynde that werre kept dayly. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 208 b, Warre was to be kepte upon hys frontiers. 1568–1807 [see coil n.2 4]. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iii. i. 61 Who is that at the doore y{supt} keepes all this noise? 1601 ― Twel. N. ii. iii. 76 What a catterwalling doe you keepe heere? 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. iii. iv, What an idle prate thou keep'st, good nurse; goe sleepe. 1665 Glanvill Def. Vain Dogm. 41 'Tis strange that the Ancients should keep such ado about an easie Probleme. a 1784 Johnson in Mrs. Piozzi's Anecd. 34 The nonsense you now keep such a stir about. 1818 Shelley Rev. Islam vi. vii, Ships from Propontes keep A killing rain of fire.

    III. Intransitive uses.
    * Arising from ellipsis of refl. pron.
    37. To reside, dwell, live, lodge. (Freq. in literary use from c 1580 to 1650; now only colloq., esp. at Cambridge University and in U.S.)

[1402–3 Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 217 Camera ubi pueri custodiunt.]

c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxv. 117 Þis emperour.. hase many men kepand at his courte. 1401 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 65 Sich as ben gaderid in coventis..the whiche for worldly combraunce kepen in cloistris. 1504 Bury Wills (Camden) 102, I wyll y{supt} he or they shall keep at Cambryge at scoole. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 127 Among the mountaines of this tract, the Pygmæans, by report do keepe. 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Isl. v. xxv, Here stands the palace of the noblest sense; Here Visus keeps. 1719 in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) II. 214 In y⊇ Room where M{supr} Maynard keeps there was acted..a Pastoral. 1775 A. Adams in J. Adams' Fam. Lett. (1876) 128, I have..been upon a visit to Mrs. Morgan, who keeps at Major Mifflin's. 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan I. 255 A little ‘Virginny gal’ who was ‘keepin’ there. 1859 [J. Payn] Foster Brothers xvii. 314 Where does Mr. Hollis ‘keep’? inquired he of his bedmaker. 1883 Cambridge Staircase viii. 137 Holtmore..keeps out of college. 1889 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 8 July 3/3 Just where Mrs. Stevens kept in Boston is unknown to history.

    38. a. To remain or stay for the time (in a particular place or spot).

1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 214 The rest..were driven to kepe in caves and sellars under the earth. 1597 Morley Introd. Mus. Pref., Being compelled to keepe at home. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iii. vii. 75 Marcus Octauius..and Celius are for Sea: But we keepe whole by Land. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. iv, We had kept on board. Ibid. xvi, I kept..within doors. 1863 Geo. Eliot Romola xxxv. He suggested that she should keep in her own room. 1890 Clark Russell Ocean Trag. III. xxx. 136, I told him to keep where he was. 1891 F. W. Robinson Her Love & His Life III. vi. ii. 112 The wind kept in the proper quarter.

    b. Of a school: to be held. U.S.

1845 Knickerbocker XXVI. 277 One afternoon, when ‘school didn't keep’, some one got into the house. 1867 ‘T. Lackland’ Homespun i. 123 The District School has not ‘kept’ since the week began. 1908 M. E. Freeman Shoulders of Atlas 68 School ain't going to keep today.

    39. To remain or continue in a specified condition, state, position, etc. a. With adverbial or prepositional phrases: see also branch IV.

1598 Shakes. Merry W. iii. iii. 89 Keepe in that minde, Ile deserue it. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 93 You must recede and keep at distance. 1670–98 R. Lassels Voy. Italy II. 234 We strangers..must keep out of their way, and stand a loof off. 1697 Dryden æneid ii. 986 Creusa kept behind. 1705 W. Bosman Guinea 114 If they have not hit the Buffel they sit still, and keep out of Danger. 1805 Nelson 20 Oct. in Nicolas Disp. (1846) VII. 136 To keep..in sight of the Enemy in the night. 1823 Douglas, or, Otterburn II. viii. 102 Mervine kept by the side of his friend. 1883 Fenn Middy & Ensign xxviii. 171 The men kept in excellent health. 1890 T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. fr. 1689, viii. iv. 48 He kept in touch with public opinion.

    b. with adj. (or equivalent substantive).

1590 Shakes. Com. Err. ii. i. 26 This seruitude makes you to keepe vnwed. c 1600 Acc.-Bk. W. Wray in Antiquary XXXII. 80 This..will kepe but one yeare good. 1699 W. Dampier Voy. II. iii. iv. 47 When these hot Winds come the better sort of People..keep close. 1814 Doyle in W. J. Fitz-Patrick Life (1880) I. 66 We were constantly making efforts to keep clear of them. 1825 New Monthly Mag. XV. 406 It will keep sweet a very long time. 1870 Lowell Stud. Wind. 120 It is the part of a critic to keep cool under whatever circumstances. 1883 Fenn Middy & Ensign xiv. 78 We want to keep friends.

    40. To continue, persevere, go on (in a specified course or action).

a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 211 b, The Dukes messengers..durst not kepe on their iorney. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 91 He had such comfort of the king, as he kept on his purpose. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, v. ii. 10 The Duke..With slow, but stately pace, kept on his course. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 48 ¶4 We kept on our Way after him till we came to Exchange-Alley. 1857 B. Taylor North. Trav. 48 We kept down the left bank of the river for a little distance. 1889 W. Westall Birch Dene III. ii. 41 Turn to the left and keep straight on. 1891 H. S. Merriman Pris. & Capt. III. xiv. 235 After passing Spitzbergen they would keep to the north.

    b. With pres. pple. as complement.

1794 Gifford Baviad (1800) 27 note, Some contemptible vulgarity, such as ‘That's your sort!’..‘What's to pay?’ ‘Keep moving’, etc. 1806–7 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) vi. Miseries Stage Coaches iv, The Monster..keeps braying away. 1858 Hawthorne Fr. & It. Jrnls. I. 124 Niagara..keeps pouring on forever and ever. 1890 T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. fr. 1689, 134 He kept changing his plans. 1892 Temple Bar Mag. Feb. 198 She kept tumbling off her horse.

    41. To remain in good condition; to last without spoiling. Also fig. to admit of being reserved for another occasion.

a 1586 Sidney Arcadia (1598) 76 Doth beauties keepe which never sunne can burne Nor stormes do turne! 1626 Bacon Sylva §627 Grapes..it is reported..will keep better in a vessel half full of wine, so that the grapes touch not the wine. 1705 Lett. in Chr. Wordsworth Scholæ Academ. (1877) 291 When he is to be buried I can't tell, but they say he can't keep long. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. xii, I had no hops to make it keep. 1836 Gen. P. Thompson Exerc. (1842) IV. 106, I will defer any observations..till my next. And there was nothing but what will keep. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest v, He brought home more venison than would keep in the hot weather. 1889 Doyle Micah Clarke xi. 92 Your story, however, can keep.

    ** With prepositions in specialized senses.
    (Chiefly from 38, 39, 40.)
    42. keep at ―. To work persistently at; to continue to occupy oneself with. Also to keep at it: see at prep. 16 b.

1825 New Monthly Mag. XVI. 490 He should have kept at the law, he would have done for that. 1846 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VII. i. 130 By keeping at it all day he is able to get over nearly 2 acres. 1890 Pictorial World 9 Oct. 445/3 Who could keep at work on a morning like this? 1891 St. Nicholas Mag. 261 Still they keep at it, early and late.

    b. Hence humorous nonce-compounds.

1882 Three in Norway v. 38 In a nice keep-at-it-all-day-if-you-like kind of manner. 1895 Proc. 14th Conv. Amer. Instruct. Deaf p. lxix, In school, and out of school,..at work or play; in short, by everlasting keep-at-it-iveness.

    43. keep from ―. To abstain from; to remain absent or away from.

1513 More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 767 The prosperitie whereof..standeth..in keeping from enemies and evill dyet. c 1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxxiv. x, What is the cause..That thy right hand far from us keepes? 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iii. i. 18 You would keepe from my heeles, and beware of an asse. 1727 Gay Beggar's Op. i. viii, I shall soon know if you are married by Macheath's keeping from our house.

    b. To restrain or contain oneself from.

1877 C. M. Yonge Cameos Ser. iii. xiv. 125 Nor was Louis able to keep from turning pale. 1889 Doyle Micah Clarke ii. 20 We could not keep from laughter. 1890 Lippincott's Mag. Feb. 150, I could hardly keep from smiling.

    44. keep to ―. a. To adhere to, stick to, abide by (a promise, agreement, etc.); to continue to maintain or observe. Also with indirect passive.

1625 Burges Pers. Tithes 24 He must keepe to his Rule, or hee damnably sinneth. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1729) I. 518 Not finding the Governour keep to his agreement with me. 1779 Sheridan Critic i. i, If they had kept to that, I should not have been such an enemy to the stage. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. x. 85, I will keep to my resolution. 1825 New Monthly Mag. XV. 511/2 The author has kept very closely to the historical facts. Mod. I hope the plan will be kept to.

    b. To confine or restrict oneself to. to keep to oneself, also (colloq.) to keep oneself to oneself, to avoid the society of others.

1698 Fryer Acc. E. Ind. & P. 174 He is married to Four Wives, to whom he keeps religiously. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 129 ¶1 Did they keep to one constant Dress they would sometimes be in the fashion. 1748 Richardson Clarissa IV. 27, I was resolved to keep myself to myself till I knew the issue of it. 1788 W. Blane Hunt. Excurs. 17 They generally keep to the thick forests where it is impossible to follow them. 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey v. xv, We had much better keep to the road. 1846 Swell's Night Guide 45 The divil a rap but that had bin her own, if she'd bin after keeping hersilf to hersilf. 1848 J. H. Newman Loss & Gain iii. ix. 374 What can I have done better than keep myself to myself, go by my best reason, consult the friends whom I happened to find around me, as I have done, and wait in patience till I was sure of my convictions? 1881 G. M. Craik (Mrs. May) Sydney III. ii. 44 He had merely to keep to the sofa for two or three days. 1889 J. Masterman Scotts of Bestminster I. iv. 142 Content with each other, they kept to themselves. 1891 Sat. Rev. 18 Apr. 483/1 She shall keep to her room and he will keep to his. 1905 H. G. Wells Kipps i. i. 7 They ‘kept themselves to themselves’, according to the English ideal. 1960 ‘H. Carmichael’ Seeds of Hate iv. 37 My husband and I like to keep ourselves to ourselves. We haven't got many friends. 1960 D. Lessing In Pursuit of English iv. 158 She keeps herself to herself so much. 1973 J. Porter It's Murder with Dover ii. 17 Miss Marsh has always been one for keeping herself to herself.

    45. keep with ―. To remain or stay with; to associate or keep company with; to keep up with.

a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon liv. 181 He may as sone go to your enemyes parte as to kepe with you. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. i. ii. 344 Goe then; and..keepe with Bohemia, And with your Queene. 1817 W. Selwyn Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4) II. 940 To keep with convoy during the whole voyage. 1891 Field 19 Dec. 956/3 The very select few who were fortunate enough to keep with hounds.

    IV. With adverbs.
    46. keep away. a. trans. To cause to remain absent or afar; to prevent from coming near.

a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 211 Her frendes..said, that she was kept awaie..by Sorcerers and Necromanciers. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iv. 22 Let not your priuate discord keepe away The leuied succours that should lend him ayde. 1872 Freeman Europ. Hist. xvii. §3. 352 The French frontier, which first reached the Rhine in 1648, is now kept quite away from it.

    b. intr. To remain absent or at a distance; to hold one's course at a distance; to move off.

1604 Shakes. Oth. iii. iv. 173 What? keepe a weeke away? Seuen dayes, and Nights? a 1889 W. Collins Blind Love (1890) III. liii. 130, I could not keep away from you.

    c. Naut. trans. To cause to sail ‘off the wind’ or to leeward. intr., to sail off the wind or to leeward.

1805 E. Berry 13 Oct. in Nicolas Disp. Nelson (1846) VII. 118 note, I was determined not to keep away, and I could not tack without the certainty of a broadside. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. s.v., Keep her away, alter the ship's course to leeward, by sailing further off the wind. 1875 Bedford Sailor's Pocket Bk. iv. (ed. 2) 127 If the vessel keeps away [from wind's eye] 5 points, she must steam or sail at the rate of 7·2 knots, to be in an equally good position.

    47. keep back. a. trans. To restrain; to detain; to hold back forcibly; to retard the progress, advance, or growth of.

1535 Coverdale 2 Kings iv. 24 Dryue forth, and kepe me not bak with rydinge. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 463 b, I have kept backe no man from the true Religion. 1678 Wanley Wond. Lit. World v. i. §98. 468/1 He..strongly kept back the Turk from encroachments upon his Dominions. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 310 The Wheat stands, to endure a farther ripening, being kept back by the Chill Winds. 1848 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. IX. ii. 556 Bine that has been kept back..by cold weather. 1890 Fenn Double Knot I. iv. 129 She made a brave effort to keep back her tears.

    b. To withhold; to retain or reserve designedly; to conceal.

1535 Coverdale Ps. xxxix. [xl.] 10, I kepe not thy louynge mercy..backe from the greate congregacion. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 80 The church will keepe no part of the liuing backe from the pastor, if he doe his dutie. 1607–12 Bacon Ess., Seeming Wise (Arb.) 216 Some are so close, and reserved, as they..seeme alwaies to keepe back somewhat. 1647 H. More Song of Soul ii. i. ii. vii, Long keppen back from your expecting sight. 1888 G. Gissing Life's Morn. II. xv. 302 It really seemed to me as if she were keeping something back.

    c. intr. To hold oneself or remain back.

1837 Dickens Pickw. iv, There was a request to ‘keep back’ from the front.

    48. keep down. a. trans. To hold down; to hold in subjection or under control; to repress. spec. to retain (food, etc.) in one's stomach, without vomiting.

1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. i. (1586) 3 b, Sudden flames by force kept downe. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 155 They keep them low and down by substraction of their meat. 1659 D. Pell Impr. Sea 38 You should..keep down your spirits both in this and other cases. 1722 De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 67 Will kept the man down who was under him. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. i. I. 34 A hundred thousand soldiers..will keep down ten millions of ploughmen and artisans. 1889 Repent. P. Wentworth III. xvi. 291 She had hard work to keep down her tears. 1955 ‘A. Gilbert’ Is she Dead Too? vi. 119 Think you could keep some hot tea down? Well, have a try. 1968 ‘S. Woods’ Past Praying For ii. 71 Nothing had been given to Oliver without Dr. Noyes's consent; and, anyway, he couldn't keep anything down. 1969 A. E. Lindop Sight Unseen xxix. 246 He's best with his Eno's if I can get him to keep it down. 1973 ‘A. York’ Captivator iv. 62 ‘Aren't you going to eat?..’ ‘I don't think I could keep it down.’

    b. To keep low in amount or number; to prevent from growing, increasing, or accumulating.

1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 201 The executors..ought to keep down the interest. 1840 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. I. iii. 259 The Tartarian oats kept down the clover. 1851 Beck's Florist Jan. 21 Pick off decaying leaves, and keep down insects. 1869 W. Longman Hist. Edw. III, I. xvi. 309 Employers..combined to keep down wages.

    c. Painting. (See quot. 1854.)

1768 W. Gilpin Prints 210 The effect..might have been better, if all the lights upon it had been kept down. 1805 E. Dayes Works 290 Should the objects give a sufficient quantity of Light and Shade, the sky may be kept down. 1854 Fairholt Dict. Terms Art, Kept down, subdued in tone or tint, so that that portion of the picture thus treated is rendered subordinate to some other part.

    d. Printing. To set in lower-case type, as a word or letter; to use capitals somewhat sparingly.

1888 Jacobi Printer's Vocab.

    e. intr. To remain low or subdued.

1889 M. E. Carter Mrs. Severn III. iii. ix. 219 Praying that the wind would keep down for a few hours.

    49. keep in. a. trans. To confine within; to hold in check; to restrain; not to utter or give vent to; spec. to confine in school after hours.

a 1420 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1015 We..keepe muste our song and wordes in. c 1491 Chast. Goddes Chyld. 18 To kepe in his chyldern that they shold not sterte abrode fro the scole. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. i. v. 209 It is more like to be feigned; I pray you keep it in. 1690 W. Walker Idiomat. Anglo-Lat. 24 He is not able to keep in his anger. 1713 Addison Cato i. iv, Your zeal becomes importunate..but learn to keep it in. 1893 Pall Mall Mag. I. 28 He had been ‘kept in’.., and his schoolmates had all gone.

    † b. To keep from public currency. Obs.

1573 Baret Alv. K 25 To keepe in corne, to the end to make it deere. 1671 M. Bruce Good News in Evil Times (1708) 68 Thanks be to him that hath ay keeped in our Black side yet, and hath not let the World see it yet.

    c. To keep (a fire) burning: cf. in adv. 6 g. Also intr. of a fire: To continue to burn.

1659 J. Arrowsmith Chain Princ. 160 As culinary fire must be kindled and kept in by external materials. 1711, 1793 [see in adv. 6 g]. 1849 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. X. i. 149 The fire..keeps in well twelve hours. 1892 Review of Rev. 15 Mar. 299/1 The fire can be kept in all night.

    d. Printing. To set type closely spaced.

1683 Moxon Mech. Exerc., Printing Dict., Keep in, is a caution either given to, or resolved on, by the Compositer, where there may be doubt of Driving out his Matter beyond his Counting off. 1888 Jacobi Printers' Vocab.

    e. to keep one's hand in: see hand n. 53.
    f. intr. To remain indoors, or within a retreat, place, position, etc.

c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 711 Euermore she kept hir in. 1518 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford 18 The inhabitants of thos howses that be..infectyd shall kepe in. 1652 Gaule Magastrom. 250 It still keeps in (like an owle) all the day⁓time. 1850 F. T. Finch in ‘Bat’ Cricket Man. 95 Though for years we may keep in, we must at length go out.

    g. To keep in line or in touch with.

1781 W. Blane Ess. Hunting (1788) 35, I could never yet see any creature on two legs keep in with the Dogs.

    h. To remain in favour or on good terms with. Cf. in adv. 9 a. (Now colloq.)

1598 R. Grenewey Tacitus, Ann. iv. v. (1622) 96 He kept in with Cæsar in no lesse fauour then authority. 1666 Pepys Diary 1 July, Though I do not love him, yet I find it necessary to keep in with him. 1720 Ozell Vertot's Rom. Rep. II. xiv. 333 Cæsar.. resolved to keep in equally with the Senate and Antony. 1883 Black Yolande III. v. 86 He's violent enough in the House; but that's to keep in with his constituents.

    50. keep off. a. trans. To hinder from coming near or touching; to ward off; to avert.

a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 233 b, Covered with bordes, onely to kepe of the wether. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. iii. 54 Ile giue thee Armour to keepe off that word. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 24 Having white staves in their hands, to keep off the people. 1727 Gay Begg. Op. i. viii. (1729) 11 O Polly..By keeping men off, you keep them on. 1883 Fenn Middy & Ensign xxii. 133 An umbrella held up to keep off the sun.

    b. intr. To stay at a distance; to refrain from approaching; not to come on.

1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iv. iv. 21 You..Keepe off aloofe with worthlesse emulation. 1803 J. Hillyar Aug. in Nicolas Disp. Nelson (1845) II. 186 note, The Master..told the Boats to keep off. 1861 Dickens Gt. Expect. xxxix, I..put him away. ‘Stay!’ said I. ‘Keep off!’ 1891 Field 7 Nov. 699/2 If the frost keeps off.

    c. trans. To avoid or stay away from; not to use; also as attrib. phr.; keep off the grass: see grass n.¹ 9.

1949 M. Mead Male & Female ii. 42 Tchamwole..placed a keep-off sign on the coconut-palm-trees. 1968 Listener 12 Dec. 790/3 Girls at Amman University have been instructed..to keep off heavy make-up.

    51. keep on. a. trans. To maintain or retain in an existing condition or relation; to continue to hold, occupy, employ, entertain, or display.

1669 R. Montagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 439 Till the end of the quarter..her family should be kept on. 1847 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VIII. i. 10 If young, they are sometimes kept on for another season, and sent to fold. 1889 A. Sergeant E. Denison I. i. xi. 138 Bingley asked him awkwardly whether he meant to ‘keep on the house’. 1890 Mrs. H. Wood House of Halliwell II. viii. 213 Let me reproach him as I will, he keeps on that provoking meekness.

    b. To keep (a fire, etc.) going continuously.

1891 Review of Rev. 15 Sept. 287/2 When a fire is needed to be kept on all night.

    c. intr. To continue or persist in a course or action; to go on with something. Now freq. with pres. pple.

1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie ii. iii. (Arb.) 83 In this manner doth the Greeke dactilus begin slowly and keepe on swifter till th' end. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iii. iii. 455 The Ponticke Sea, Whose Icie Current..keepes due on To the Proponticke. 1724 De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 240 We kept on all night. 1856 Titan Mag. Dec. 516/1 ‘We shall never come across each other again’, she kept on saying to herself. 1889 Doyle Micah Clarke xxii. 224 Strike quick, strike hard, and keep on striking.

    † d. To keep the head covered. Obs.

1652–62 Heylin Cosmogr. iii. (1673) 133/2 They keep on of all sides..accounting it an opprobrious thing to see any men uncover their heads.

    e. To remain fixed or attached; to stay on.

1892 Cassell's Fam. Mag. July 469/2 [His] buttons never keep on.

    52. keep out. a. trans. To cause to remain without; to prevent from getting in.

c 1425 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 770 [He] Wold kepe out that other he shuld nat esyly entre. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 94 The Sea brake in over the walles, that we made to kepe it out. 1681 J. Flavel Meth. Grace xxxiv. 575 He teaches them how to paint the glass, that he may keep out the light. 1780 Coxe Russ. Disc. 169 In order to keep out the rain. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 84 Locks..To keep out thieves at night. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. i, Keep her [a boat] out, Lizzie. Tide runs strong here.

    b. Printing. To set type widely spaced.

1683 Moxon Mech. Exerc., Printing Dict. s.v., He Sets Wide, to Drive or Keep out. 1888 Jacobi Printer's Vocab.

    53. keep over. trans. To reserve, hold over.

1847 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VIII. i. 6 Some breeders keep them [lambs] over until the next spring. 1893 Field 4 Mar. 331/2 Keeping over old wheat stocks for a rise in price.

    54. keep to. Naut. trans. To cause (a ship) to sail close to the wind.

1692 Capt. Smith's Seaman's Gram. xvi. 76 In keeping the Ship near the Wind, these terms are used..keep her to, touch the Wind. 1706 Phillips, Keep your loof or Keep her to.

    55. keep together. a. trans. To cause to remain in association or union. to keep body († life) and soul together: to keep (oneself) alive.

1601 Shakes. Twel. N. iii. i. 56 Clo. Would not a paire of these haue bred sir? Vio. Yes being kept together, and put to vse. 1693 Tate in Dryden's Juvenal xv. (1697) 375 The Vascons once with Man's Flesh (as 'tis sed) Kept Life and Soul together. 1841 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. II. i. 43 It is a poor loose sand..only kept together by the roots of the sea-bent. 1884 Century Mag. Nov. 54/2 How on earth they managed to keep body and soul together.

    b. intr. To remain associated or united.

1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 435 Let them..kepe together, and in no wise scatter abrode. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, ii. ii. 105 Treason, and murther, euer kept together. 1768 J. Byron Narr. Patagonia (ed. 2) 13 It did not become him to desert it as long as the ship kept together. 1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. (1859) 181, I have a particular respect for three or four..chairs..which seem to me to keep together.

    56. keep under. trans. To hold in subjection or under control; to keep down.

1486–1504 Quinton MSS. in Denton Eng. in 15th cent. Note D. (1888) 318 For mane men wyll ley owt more to kepe vnder the pore th(en) for to helpe thaym. 1579 Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 37 Giue them a bitte to keepe them vnder. 1611 Bible 1 Cor. ix. 27, I keepe under my body, and bring it into subiection. 1712 Berkeley Pass. Obed. §13 Like all other passions, [they] must be restrained and kept under. 1843 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. IV. i. 116 The services of birds in keeping under noxious insects. 1889 J. Masterman Scotts of Bestminster II. ix. 115 She had been accustomed to be kept under all her life.

    57. keep up. a. trans. To keep shut up or confined.

1604 Shakes. Oth. i. ii. 59 Keepe vp your bright Swords, for the dew will rust them. 1654 in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 191 Swyne..ought to bee kept up in their styes. 1673 Wycherley Gentl. Dancing Master ii. i, Have you kept up my daughter close in my absence? 1737 Whiston Josephus, Antiq. iv. viii. §36 If his owner..having known what his nature was..hath not kept him [an ox] up. 1847 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VIII. i. 31 When sheep are kept up in sheds during the winter.

    † b. To keep secret or undivulged. Obs.

1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iii. §38. 177 So long as these things are concealed and kept up in Huggermugger. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1823) II. 115 They..had not sailed when the proclamation came down: yet it was kept up till they sailed away. 1725 Ramsay Gent. Sheph. ii. iii, What fowk say of me, Bauldy, let me hear; Keep naithing up.

    c. To support, sustain; to prevent from sinking or falling. Also intr. To bear up, so as not to break down.
    to keep the ball up (see ball n.¹ 18). to keep one's wicket up (Cricket): to remain in, to continue one's innings.

1681 J. Flavel Meth. Grace ix. 190 Of great use to keep up the soul above water. 1694 F. Bragge Disc. Parables xiii. 425 To keep up their spirits. 1801 H. Swinburne in Crts. Europe close last Cent. (1841) II. 299 This ridiculous folly keeps the stocks up. 1868 Rogers Pol. Econ. ix. (1876) 88 The purpose of a trades-union is to keep up the price of labour. 1884 Lillywhite's Cricket Ann. 60 He kept up his wicket until the finish. 1889 J. Masterman Scotts of Bestminster II. xii. 262 But for her sweetness and bravery, I never could have kept up through all this terrible trial.

    d. To maintain in a worthy or effective condition; to support; to keep in repair; to keep burning.

1552 Huloet, Kepe vp by cheryshinge, alo, foveo. Kepe vp by maintenaunce, sustento. 1670 Sir S. Crow in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 15 Findeing that business..a burden..to keepe it upp in that perfection I found and made itt. 1678 Lady Chaworth Ibid. 51 The King had a mind..to keep up his army and navy till that peace was made. 1701 W. Wotton Hist. Rome, Marcus vi. 106 The Athenians still kept up regular Professors for all those Sciences. 1840 R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxvi. 86 We kept up a small fire, by which we cooked our mussels. 1875 Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xii. 173 A causeway which is still in being and which is kept up as a modern road.

    e. To maintain, retain, preserve (a quality, state of things, accomplishment, etc.); to keep from deteriorating or disappearing.

1670 A. Roberts Adv. T.S. 51 Orders of Men..that keep up the Honour of Religion amongst them. 1705 Addison Italy Wks. II. 132 Albano keeps up its credit still for Wine. 1791 Gentl. Mag. 20/2 The clergy would, from the calls of their profession..keep up their classical acquirements. 1836 J. Grant Gt. Metropolis I. ii. 44 They must maintain their dignity; they must keep up appearances. 1884 C. L. Pirkis Judith Wynne I. v. 48 Oughtn't she to have a horse, and keep up her riding?

    f. To maintain, continue, go on with (an action or course of action). Esp. in phr. keep it up; spec. to prolong a party, drinking-spree, etc.; to ‘live it up’.

1513 More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 778 For his dissimulation onely kept all that mischiefe up. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 51 ¶2 The Difficulty of keeping up a sprightly Dialogue for five Acts together. 1752 J. Millward Let. in M. M. Verney Verney Lett. (1930) II. ii. xxxiv. 250 When they [sc. the Welsh] get in liquor they are very troublesome and noisy. They kept it up all night. 1781 Hist. Eur. in Ann. Reg. 16/1 Continual firing..was kept up during the day. 1788 Grose Dict. Vulgar T. (ed. 2), To keep it up, to prolong a debauch. We kept it up finely last night; metaphor drawn from the game at shuttlecock. 1801 C. Keith Har'st Rig. & Farmer's Ha' (ed. 2) 62 Clear-blooded health..flees awa' frae keeping 't up, and midnight riot. 1810 M. van H. Dwight Journey to Ohio (1912) 16 The men dress much better—they put on their best cloaths on sunday,..& ‘keep it up’ as they call it. 1837 Dickens Pickw. lii. 565 We were keeping it up pretty tolerably at the Stump last night, and I'm rather out of sorts this morning. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xiv. 367 The fight is kept up till night-fall. 1874 L. Troubridge Life amongst Troubridges (1966) 76 There were forty-six people and we kept it up till one... I had several good valses. 1890 Lippincott's Mag. Jan. 11 He and I have kept up a correspondence. 1958 A. Huxley Let. 11 Jan. (1969) 842 Thank you for your long and very interesting letter—written, too, in the most wonderfully black ink... Keep it up!

    g. To cause to remain out of bed.

1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. ix, Well pleased, that my little ones were kept up beyond the usual time. 1839 Thackeray Fatal Boots xii, Keeping her up till four o'clock in the morning. 1889 A. Sergeant Luck of House II. xxxvi. 228, I will keep you up no longer, for you look terribly pale and fagged.

    h. Printing. To keep (type or matter) standing; also, to use capitals somewhat freely.

1888 Jacobi Printers' Vocab.

    i. to keep up to: to prevent from falling below (a level, standard, principle, etc.); to keep informed of. Also intr. for refl.

1712 Steele Spect. No. 308 ¶2 My Lady's whole Time and Thoughts are spent in keeping up to the Mode. 1726 Leoni Alberti's Archit. I. 46/1 This Strength in the Corners is..only to keep the Wall up to its duty. 1841 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. II. i. 144 It keeps him better up to his work. 1889 J. Masterman Scotts of Bestminster III. xv. 41 A London correspondent who kept the country-folk up to the doings of the townsfolk. 1890 Univ. Rev. Aug. 633 We should keep up to the mark in these matters.

    j. intr. To continue alongside, keep abreast; to proceed at an equal pace with (lit. and fig.). Esp. (orig. U.S.) in phr. to keep up (often keeping up) with the Joneses (or Jones's): to strive not to be outdone by one's neighbours; to emulate one's neighbours; also transf.

a 1633 G. Herbert Country Parson ii. (1652) 5 They are not to be over-submissive and base, but to keep up with the Lord and Lady of the house. 1706 Wooden World Diss. (1708) 35 He tries every Way..to keep up with his Leader. 1890 W. F. Rae Maygrove II. vii. 272 Don't walk so fast..I can hardly keep up with you. 1913 A. R. Momand in Globe (N.Y.) 1 Apr. 16/3 (Comic-strip title) Keeping up with the Joneses—by Pop. 1926 Amer. Speech I. 281 Today most of us live in automobilia, where the automocracy is everlastingly trying to ‘keep up with the Joneses’. 1927 Chase & Schlink Your Money's Worth i. 7 Certain things we buy..to keep up with the Joneses, or happily, to surpass the Joneses. 1933 E. Weekley in Trans. Philol. Soc. 94 This tendency to personify by the use of a familiar name is due to the same psychology which describes the social ambitions of the suburbs as ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. 1952 F. P. Keyes Larry Vincent (1953) xxi. 284 He could not be thankful enough that he did not have a nagging wife, one who insisted on making a show, on ‘keeping up with the Joneses’, as people were beginning to say. 1957 Observer 25 Aug. 7/3 Britain.., always wanting to keep up with the Joneses of the richer South, hankered all the time after white bread only and achieved it one hundred per cent. by the mid-nineteenth century. 1958 Times 8 Nov. 7/2 Keeping up atomically with the Joneses is precisely what the talks were supposed to prevent. 1963 [see door-step c]. 1970 Times 25 May 7/4 We like to keep up with the Joneses and are therefore well disposed to the new definition of democracy. 1971 Times Lit. Suppl. 1393/3 The lesser funerals, of Pooters with Joneses to keep up with, increased in cost, display and competitiveness.

    † k. To stay within doors; to put up or stop at.

1704 Duchess of Marlborough in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 353, I am very sorry to hear Lord Monthermont has had any accident to make him keep up. 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ. (1778) II. 195 (Case Delicacy) The Voiturin found himself obliged to keep up five miles short of his stage at a little decent kind of an inn.

    l. To continue to maintain a friendship or acquaintance; to keep in touch. (Cf. 57 f.)

1903 C. Coleridge C. M. Yonge iv. 127 She did not seem to be able to keep in personal touch with them... She could not, as we say, ‘keep up’ with them. 1916 E. V. Lucas Vermilion Box xlii. 45, I heard this morning of the death..of two of my oldest friends—Jack Cazalet, who was at school with me, and Sandford Thrale, whom I knew at Oxford. Both went straight into the army, but we had kept up. 1947 ‘N. Shute’ Chequer Board 205 We were all in it together then. We ought to have kept up. 1971 ‘L. Marshall’ Murder's just for Cops xviii. 125 We always kept up—even after I got married. 1971 ‘D. Shannon’ Ringer (1972) i. 20 Mrs. Sneed had known Carolyn..before she got married, five years back, and they had ‘kept up’.

    V. 58. Combs., as † keep-door (nonce-wd.), a porter, door-ward; keep-fit a., denoting exercises, etc., designed to keep people fit and healthy, and (occas.) a person who does such exercises; also ellipt. as n.; † keep-friend (see quot.); keep-left a., designating a sign, etc., directing traffic to the left of the road; † keep-net, ? a net for keeping fish in; † keep-off, a means of keeping (persons, etc.) off; also as adj., serving to keep (foes) off; keep-out a., designating a sign that prohibits entry. Also keepsake.

1682 A. Behn City Heiress 45 Good Mistriss *keep-door, stand by; for I must enter.

1938 M. Carter Living Soul in Holloway vi. 77 Gardening comes into their day's programme and ‘*keep fit’ exercises. 1939 ‘N. Blake’ Smiler with Knife v. 88 A healthy, bouncing, Keep-Fit sort of girl. 1961 J. Stroud Touch & Go xii. 119 A Girls' Keep Fit class was in session. 1965 W. Lamb Posture & Gesture ii. 31 There could be a revolution in all physical behaviour pursuits,..including..country dancing, ballet, and ‘Keep Fit’. 1967 O. Norton Now lying Dead iii. 54 Monday he goes to his Keep Fit. Imagine him in his little black shorts! 1971 Fremdsprachen XV. 63 Women..going to ‘Keep Fit’ classes. 1974 H. R. F. Keating Bats fly Up vii. 78 The OSP's well-known mania for keep-fit.

1675 Hist. Don Quix. 45 He had besides two iron rings about his neck, the one of the chain, and the other of that kind which are called A *keep-friend, or the foot of a friend; from whence descended two irons unto his middle.

1936 Discovery Nov. 359/1 Street lamps, traffic bollards, and ‘*keep left’ signs are automatically lit. 1962 C. Watson Hopjoy was Here iv. 38 A pair of dogs..coupled on the road's crown and performed a six-legged waltz around a keep-left bollard.

1623 Whitbourne Newfoundland 75 Ten *keipnet Irons..Twine to make Keipnets, &c.

c 1611 Chapman Iliad vii. 121 He fought not with a *keep-off spear, or with a far-shot bow. 1615 ― Odyss. xiv. 759 A lance..To be his keep-off both 'gainst men and dogs.

1971 J. McClure Steam Pig v. 75 A deserted area surrounded by *Keep Out signs. 1974 Times 9 May 6/5 To protect your garden a ‘keep out’ sign is not enough. You also need a tall fence.

    
    

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     ▸ trans. orig. and chiefly U.S.to keep it real. a. colloq. To do things in an authentic or traditional manner; (esp. in African-American usage) to behave unaffectedly, to remain connected to one's origins, culture, or beliefs (freq. in imper.).

1975 J. Lee & G. Brown Mango Sunrise (record) (title of song) Keep it real. 1977 Washington Post 3 Mar. d9/2 Another reason the affair probably never will succumb to country chic is that promoter Don Liscomb keeps it real. The logs the contestants split and chop are not the butter-soft green poplars used in most such contests. 1994 Chron. Telegram (Elyria, Ohio) 1 Dec. a8/3 ‘Gangsta’ rappers place ‘so much emphasis on keeping it real, and not selling out’. 1999 J. M. Favor Authentic Blackness i. 2 Hip-hop artists remind themselves and their audiences to ‘stay black’ or ‘keep it real’. 2001 S. O'Nan Everyday People 232 Later, dropping him off, Smooth called after him, ‘Keep it real, man.’ 2004 South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) (Nexis) 3 Sept. Against the tide of new mooncakes, there are traditionalists keeping it real.

    b. To make a dramatic representation or performance as realistic as possible.

1977 N.Y. Times 26 June d15/4 We're playing it straight. It's bigger than life, so we're trying to keep it real. Often, we'd cross the line out of humor into camp, and then we'd pull back. 1981 N.Y. Times Mag. 12 July 26/2 He can keep it real, as opposed to theatrical. 1984 Newsweek (Nexis) 23 Apr. 79 Keep it real: that's the Duvall esthetic, and by devoting himself to scrupulous, egoless authenticity he has become the most respected character actor of his generation. 2004 B. Lynn Improvisation for Actors & Writers xvi. 84 Martin Short's ‘Jiminy Glick’ is almost over the top, but the actor keeps it real... As a result, Jiminy is an utterly convincing character.

▪ II. keep, n.
    (kiːp)
    Forms: 3–5 kep, 3–6 kepe, (5 kype), 4–6 Sc. keip, 4–7 keepe, (9 keape), 3– keep.
    [f. keep v.]
    † 1. Care, attention, heed, notice; usually in phrases to nim keep, take keep, give keep, to take or give heed, take notice. (Const. of, inf., or clause.)

c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1333 Bi-aften bak, as he nam kep, faste in ðornes, he saȝ a sep. a 1300 Cursor M. 20128 Hir sun to serue was al hir kepe. Ibid. 20498 To þis ferli tas all nu kepe. a 1325 Prose Psalter lxix. [lxx.] 1 Ȝeue kepe, God, to my helpe. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) v. 51 A Man ought to take gode kepe for to bye Bawme. 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 174 What God hath done for you ye take no keepe. 1602 Narcissus (1893) 712, I tooke good keepe, and saw thee eke shedd teares. 1647 H. More Song of Soul iii. iii. xxxvii, Who of nought else but sloth and growth doth taken keep. [1886 A. Lang Lett. Dead Auth. 36 As to things old, they take no keep of them.]

    2. a. Care or heed in tending, watching, or preserving; charge; orig; only in phr. † to take keep.

a 1300 Cursor M. 5729 (Gött.) Moyses þat time tok kepe To his elde fadris schepe. c 1440 Partonope 289 Partanope ys now softe falle on sleepe This fayre lady of hym takyth keepe. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 640 Tak keip to my Capill, that na man him call. 1491 Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) ii. 241 a/1 Take euer a besy kepe of thy selfe. a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. i. (Arb.) 49 Vnder the kepe, and by the counsell, of some graue gouernour. 1586 J. Hooker Hist. Irel. in Holinshed II. 100/2 Your dominion in Ireland, whereof they haue so little keepe. 1647 H. More Poems 311 Of his precious soul he takes no keep. 1818 Keats Endym. i. 68 If from shepherd's keep A lamb stray'd far.

    † b. That which is kept; a charge. Obs.

1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. July 133 Often he vsed of hys keepe a sacrifice to bring.

    3. Hist. The innermost and strongest structure or central tower of a mediæval castle, serving as a last defence; a tower; a stronghold, donjon.
    Perhaps orig. a translation of It. tenazza.

a 1586 Sidney Arcadia (1598) 249 He who stood as watch upon the top of the keepe. 1598 Barret Theor. Warres vi. iv. 244 The Tenaza or Keepe, which stands without the body of the Castell. 1654 Evelyn Mem. 8 June, The Castle itself is large in circumference... The Keep, or mount, hath..a very profound well. 1796 Burke Let. Noble Lord Wks. VIII. 49 Like the proud Keep of Windsor rising in majesty of proportion, and girt with the double belt of its kindred and coeval towers. 1813 Scott Trierm. i. xiii, Buttress, and rampire's circling bound, And mighty keep and tower. 1819 W. Burgh Notes Mason's Eng. Gard. iv. Note L, The Gothic castle..consisted, in every instance, of the keep or strong-hold, and the court or enclosure annexed to the keep. 1877 Tennyson Harold ii. ii, The walls oppress me, And yon huge keep that hinders half the heaven.

    4. An article which serves for containing or retaining something. † a. A meat-safe. Obs. rare.

1617 Minsheu Ductor s.v., A Keepe is..also vsed for a safe, which is a thing to keepe the meate from the flies in Sommer season. 1649 Bury Wills (Camden) 221 A..cup⁓bord, a keepe, two wrought chairs.

    b. A stew, pond, or reservoir for fish; a weir or dam for retaining water. rare.

1617 Minsheu Ductor s.v., A Keepe is also used..for a place made in waters to keep and preserve fish. 1847 J. Dwyer Princ. Hydraul. Engin. 75 The motion of water over a bar or keep, such as had been calculated for the new cut.

    † c. A clasp or similar fastening. Obs.

1615 Chapman Odyss. xviii. 432 Buttons..made to fairly hold The robe together, all lac'd downe before, Where Keepes and Catches both sides of it wore.

    d. Coal-mining. One of the set of movable iron supports on which the cage rests when at the top of the shaft: = kep n.

1851 Greenwell Coal-trade Terms Northumb. & Durh. 33 The cage rising between the keeps, and forcing them back; but when drawn above the keeps, they fall forward to their places. 1867 W. W. Smyth Coal & Coal-mining 166 The cage is lifted..a little above the plane of the bank..and then allowed to drop on to the keeps.

    e. Mech. In a locomotive engine: A part of the axle-box, fitted beneath the journal of the axle and serving to hold an oiled pad against it.

1881 Metal World No. 15. 227 Care should be taken in boring out the axle-box keeps, as if the keeps are not bored correctly the journals..will not work true in them.

    † 5. A keeper, a herd (in N. America). Obs. rare.

1641 Boston Rec. (1877) II. 60 If any goates be without a keep after the 14th day of the next moneth..the owners of them shall forfett..halfe a bushel of Corne. Ibid. 61 [They] shall agree with a Cowe keep for the towne for the present summer.

    6. a. The act of keeping or maintaining; the fact of being kept. See keep v. 19–24.

1763 in F. B. Hough Siege Detroit (1860) 191 The Safety and Protection of Schenectady depends in a great Measure on the keep of a good Guard in the Town. 1824 Miss Mitford Village Ser. i. (1863) 64 Our old spaniel..and the blue grey⁓hound..both of which fourfooted worthies were sent out to keep for the summer. 1847–78 Halliw. s.v. Keep, Out at keep, said of animals in hired pastures.

    b. in good keep, well kept, in good condition; so in low keep, etc.

1808 Trial Lieut. Gen. Whitelocke I. 215 Many of them exceedingly good horses, but in low keep. 1811 Lamb Good Clerk Misc. Wks. (1871) 384 As the owner of a fine horse is [solicitous] to have him appear in good keep.

    c. The food required to keep a person or animal; provender, pasture; maintenance, support. Freq. in phr. to earn one's keep (also fig.).

1801 Jane Austen Let. 3 Jan. (1952) 101 The keep of two will be more than of one. 1815 M. Birkbeck Notes Journey through France (ed. 3) 21 M. Tessier hires the whole of the keep of this flock. He pays {pstlg}62. 10s. sterling to the farmer for the sheep pasture... He buys Lucerne hay for four winter months..making the expense of keep {pstlg}142. 10s. sterling. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia s.v., I am short of keep for my cows. 1829 Southey Pilgr. Compostella Poet. Wks. VII. 264 The Corporation A fund for their keep supplied. 1848 Lowell Biglow P. Poems 1890 II. 148 You're so darned lazy, I don't think you're hardly worth your keep. 1937 R. Macaulay I would be Private i. xv. 137 Now he can just earn his keep digging treasure on those cays. 1963 A. Ross Australia 63 iv. 99 The four Test stars..whose appearance cost the Tasmanian authorities {pstlg}A300, again individually and in bulk failed to earn their keep. 1971 Country Life 4 Nov. 1237/2 Under favourable growing conditions this will provide late autumn keep, really valuable spring feed, or both. 1972 Accountant 19 Oct. 497/3 ‘All assets must earn their keep,’ declared Mr Shaw.

    7. Phr. for keeps: to keep, for good; hence, completely, altogether; also in extended use: in deadly earnest. colloq. (orig. U.S.). In Cricket, defensively, in order to remain at the wicket.

1861 Ladies' Repository Oct. 627/1 Pay him! Nothing. He and I played for ‘keeps’, and I was the best player and won all his. 1871 Wright County Monitor (Clarion, Iowa) 29 Nov., Winter has at last come ‘for keeps’. 1886 Advance 9 Dec. (Farmer), We..promise not to play marbles for keeps, nor bet nor gamble in any way. 1893 S. R. Crockett Stickit Minister 79 She'll even set down the black bag to play for keeps wi' the boys at the bools. 1897 R. Kipling Capt. Cour. 263 I'm coming into the business for keeps next fall. 1897 National Police Gaz. (U.S.) 26 May 3/1 He is in the business for ‘keeps’, as they say in America. 1899 H. Frederic Market Place 195 I've got something the matter with me..I've got it for keeps. 1905 Westm. Gaz. 19 Sept. 3/2 Any other batsman..would doubtless have played for ‘keeps’ and taken not the slightest risk. 1923 Cricketer Ann. 1922–3 90 To-day, the dominant feature of the game is the individual ‘playing for keeps’. 1933 D. L. Sayers Murder must Advertise xv. 253 Ten to one 'e'll lose 'im for keeps, now. 1949 D. G. Smith I capture Castle iii. xii. 214 Maybe when I bring you back we shall find it's gone for keeps. 1970 G. E. Evans Where Beards wag All xix. 219 You played for keeps sometimes, in other words all the marbles you won became yours. 1972 D. Lees Zodiac 107 These bastards are playing for keeps... I'm in trouble. 1973 ‘H. Howard’ Highway to Murder ix. 108 Everybody belonged to the rat race where people played for keeps.

    8. Comb., as keep-tower = sense 3; keep-worthy a., worth keeping, worthy of being kept.

1830 W. Taylor Hist. Germ. Poetry I. 182 Bodmer..was the editor of the Zurich charter..and of other keep-worthy documents. 1865 Street Goth. Archit. Spain 187 The enormous Keep-tower which rises out of its western face.

Oxford English Dictionary