keep
part of speech
verb (keep, keeps, kept, keeping); noun (your keep — food and a home; «for keeps» — forever)
meaning for a pupil
1) To keep something is to go on having it and not give it away. tree →
2) To keep doing something is to go on doing it. tree →
3) To keep something in a place is to store it there. tree →
4) To keep a promise or a secret is to not break it. tree →
5) To keep someone or something safe, warm or clean is to make it stay that way. tree →
6) Food that keeps stays good to eat. tree →
7) (casual) «For keeps» means forever; «keep it real» means be honest; «keep your hair on» (UK) means calm down. tree →
8) (rude) «Keep your nose out», «keep your hands off my stuff» are blunt warnings. tree →
9) (formal) Exams say «retain», «preserve», «maintain», «hold in reserve» or «remain in the possession of». tree →
10) To keep watch means to stay awake and alert, looking out for danger. tree →
sense in the lessons
to hold some things back, so they stay with the actor; keeping changes no count; phrases: «keep on», «keep away», «keep out», «keep up», «keep a secret», «keep safe», «keep warm», «keep the change», «keep score»; in casual talk «keep it real», «for keeps», «keep ya hair on»; in rough talk «keep your mitts off my chips», «keep your gob shut»; in the exam voice «the number retained», «remaining in the possession of», «maintain a constant speed»
examples
- Sam keeps 3 stamps and gives the rest to Mia. tree →
- Anna kept 5 of her 12 cookies. tree →
- Ben keeps his marbles in 4 jars. tree →
- Keep the change! tree →
- Keep going, you're nearly there! tree →
- Keep away from the edge of the cliff. tree →
- Wear a hat to keep warm in the snow. tree →
- Can I keep it? For keeps? tree →
- Keep your mitts off my chips, I've only got 6 left. tree →
- Keep ya hair on, I'll give you 2. tree →
- Of 12 cookies, the subject retains 5 and transfers the remainder. Ascertain the number transferred. tree →
- Milk keeps for about a week in the fridge. tree →
- To-night we'll both keep watch together." tree →
note
Past: kept. Keeping changes no count; it tells how much stays, so «the rest» is the whole minus what is kept. «retain» in an exam means keep. «keep score» means count the points. Safety: a good secret is fun (a surprise party); a secret that makes you feel bad should be told to an adult you trust, even if someone says «keep your mouth shut».
In the corpora
- Most grown-ups keep their money in a bank account, and most of it is never seen as notes and coins.
- A subscription keeps taking money every month until it is cancelled, and free trials often turn into payments.
- Banks offer children's accounts to keep savings safe and teach how banks work.
- The minimum payment barely covers the interest, so paying only the minimum keeps a debt going for years.
- Date night is when a couple goes out together, just the two of them, which keeps their friendship strong.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «keep» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.