1. (noun) support, keep, livelihood, living, bread and butter, sustenance
the financial means whereby one lives
"each child was expected to pay for their keep"; "he applied to the state for support"; "he could no longer earn his own livelihood"
2. (noun) keep, donjon, dungeon
the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
3. (verb) hold, keep
a cell in a jail or prison
4. (verb) keep, maintain, hold
keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep clean"
"hold in place"; "She always held herself as a lady"; "The students keep me on my toes"
5. (verb) continue, go on, proceed, go along, keep
continue a certain state, condition, or activity
"Keep on working!"; "We continued to work into the night"; "Keep smiling"; "We went on working until well past midnight"
6. (verb) keep, hold on
retain possession of
"Can I keep my old stuffed animals?"; "She kept her maiden name after she married"
7. (verb) prevent, keep
stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state
"We must prevent the cancer from spreading"; "His snoring kept me from falling asleep"; "Keep the child from eating the marbles"
8. (verb) observe, keep
conform one's action or practice to
"keep appointments"; "she never keeps her promises"; "We kept to the original conditions of the contract"
9. (verb) observe, keep, maintain
stick to correctly or closely
"The pianist kept time with the metronome"; "keep count"; "I cannot keep track of all my employees"
10. (verb) keep
look after; be the keeper of; have charge of
"He keeps the shop when I am gone"
11. (verb) keep, maintain
maintain by writing regular records
"keep a diary"; "maintain a record"; "keep notes"
12. (verb) keep
supply with room and board
"He is keeping three women in the guest cottage"; "keep boarders"
13. (verb) retain, continue, keep, keep on
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"
14. (verb) sustain, keep, maintain
supply with necessities and support
"She alone sustained her family"; "The money will sustain our good cause"; "There's little to earn and many to keep"
15. (verb) keep, stay fresh
fail to spoil or rot
"These potatoes keep for a long time"
16. (verb) observe, celebrate, keep
behave as expected during of holidays or rites
"Keep the commandments"; "celebrate Christmas"; "Observe Yom Kippur"
17. (verb) restrain, keep, keep back, hold back
keep under control; keep in check
"suppress a smile"; "Keep your temper"; "keep your cool"
18. (verb) keep, preserve
maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger
"May God keep you"
19. (verb) keep
raise
"She keeps a few chickens in the yard"; "he keeps bees"
20. (verb) keep open, hold open, keep, save
retain rights to
"keep my job for me while I give birth"; "keep my seat, please"; "keep open the possibility of a merger"
21. (verb) keep
store or keep customarily
"Where do you keep your gardening tools?"
22. (verb) keep
have as a supply
"I always keep batteries in the freezer"; "keep food for a week in the pantry"; "She keeps a sixpack and a week's worth of supplies in the refrigerator"
23. (verb) keep, maintain
maintain for use and service
"I keep a car in the countryside"; "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips"
24. (verb) keep
hold and prevent from leaving
"The student was kept after school"
25. (verb) preserve, keep
prevent (food) from rotting
"preserved meats"; "keep potatoes fresh"
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Definition of 'keep' 
