Scrabble Dictionary

Yes

Meaning of keep

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1 definition found

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

  keep
      n 1: 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"
           [syn: {support}, {keep}, {livelihood}, {living}, {bread and
           butter}, {sustenance}]
      2: the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or
         fortress [syn: {keep}, {donjon}, {dungeon}]
      3: a cell in a jail or prison [syn: {hold}, {keep}]
      v 1: 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" [syn: {keep},
           {maintain}, {hold}]
      2: 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" [syn:
         {continue}, {go on}, {proceed}, {go along}, {keep}] [ant:
         {discontinue}]
      3: retain possession of; "Can I keep my old stuffed animals?";
         "She kept her maiden name after she married" [syn: {keep},
         {hold on}] [ant: {lose}]
      4: 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" [syn: {prevent}, {keep}] [ant:
         {allow}, {let}, {permit}]
      5: conform one's action or practice to; "keep appointments";
         "she never keeps her promises"; "We kept to the original
         conditions of the contract" [syn: {observe}, {keep}] [ant:
         {breach}, {break}, {go against}, {infract}, {offend},
         {transgress}, {violate}]
      6: stick to correctly or closely; "The pianist kept time with
         the metronome"; "keep count"; "I cannot keep track of all my
         employees" [syn: {observe}, {keep}, {maintain}]
      7: look after; be the keeper of; have charge of; "He keeps the
         shop when I am gone"
      8: maintain by writing regular records; "keep a diary";
         "maintain a record"; "keep notes" [syn: {keep}, {maintain}]
      9: supply with room and board; "He is keeping three women in the
         guest cottage"; "keep boarders"
      10: 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" [syn: {retain}, {continue}, {keep}, {keep on}]
      11: 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" [syn: {sustain},
          {keep}, {maintain}]
      12: fail to spoil or rot; "These potatoes keep for a long time"
          [syn: {keep}, {stay fresh}]
      13: behave as expected during of holidays or rites; "Keep the
          commandments"; "celebrate Christmas"; "Observe Yom Kippur"
          [syn: {observe}, {celebrate}, {keep}]
      14: keep under control; keep in check; "suppress a smile"; "Keep
          your temper"; "keep your cool" [syn: {restrain}, {keep},
          {keep back}, {hold back}]
      15: maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger; "May God
          keep you" [syn: {keep}, {preserve}]
      16: raise; "She keeps a few chickens in the yard"; "he keeps
          bees"
      17: retain rights to; "keep my job for me while I give birth";
          "keep my seat, please"; "keep open the possibility of a
          merger" [syn: {keep open}, {hold open}, {keep}, {save}]
      18: store or keep customarily; "Where do you keep your gardening
          tools?"
      19: 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"
      20: maintain for use and service; "I keep a car in the
          countryside"; "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her
          shopping trips" [syn: {keep}, {maintain}]
      21: hold and prevent from leaving; "The student was kept after
          school"
      22: prevent (food) from rotting; "preserved meats"; "keep
          potatoes fresh" [syn: {preserve}, {keep}]

WordNet ® Princeton University. http://wordnet.princeton.edu