Definitions from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1.3 Verb 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Derived terms 1.3.3 Related terms 1.3.4 Translations 1.4 Noun 1.4.1 Translations 1.4.2 See also 2 Estonian 2.1 Noun 3 Middle English

[ English

Rank of this word in the English language, from analyzing texts from Project Gutenberg.
half	certain	sent	#271: keep	myself	morning	money

[ Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: kēp, IPA: /kiːp/, SAMPA: /ki:p/
• (US) enPR: kēp, IPA: /kip/, SAMPA: /kip/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -iːp

[ Etymology

Old English cēpan

[ Verb

Infinitive to keep

Third person singular keeps

Simple past kept

Past participle kept

Present participle keeping

to keep (third-person singular simple present keeps, present participle keeping, simple past and past participle kept)

1. (transitive) To maintain possession of.

   I keep a small stock of painkillers for emergencies.

2. (transitive) To maintain the condition of.

   I keep my specimens under glass to protect them.

3. (transitive, archaic) To remain in, to be confined to.
   • 1605, William Shakespeare, King Lear, III.ii,

     The wrathful skies

     Gallow the very wanderers of the dark

     And make them keep their caves.

4. (transitive) To restrain.

   I keep my brother out of trouble by keeping him away from his friends and hard at work.

5. (intransitive) To continue.

   I keep taking the tablets, but to no avail.

6. (intransitive, cricket) To act as wicket-keeper.

   Godfrey Evans kept for England for many years.

7. (transitive, of livestock) to raise; to care for
   • 1914, Robert Joos, Success with Hens, Forbes & company, page 217:

     Of course boys are boys and need watching, but there is little watching necessary when they keep chickens.

[ Synonyms

• (maintain possession of): retain
• (maintain the condition of): preserve, protect

[ Derived terms

Look at pages starting with keep.

[ Related terms

• for keeps

[ Translations

to maintain possession of

Chinese: 保持 (bǎochí) Finnish: pitää fi(fi) French: garder fr(fr) German: behalten de(de)

Russian: хранить ru(ru) (xranít’) Spanish: guardar es(es) Swedish: hålla sv(sv), behålla sv(sv) West Frisian: hâlde fy(fy)

to maintain the condition of; to preserve

Finnish: [[pitää], säilyttää German: bewahren de(de) Russian: хранить ru(ru) (xranít’)

Spanish: guardar es(es) Swedish: bevara sv(sv)

to remain in, to be confined to

Finnish: pysyä fi(fi)

Spanish: permanecer es(es)

to restrain

German: heraushalten, fernhalten

to continue

Czech: pokračovat cs(cs) Finnish: jatkaa, tehdä jotakin jatkuvasti German: weiterhin de(de), weiter [tun] de(de)

Russian: продолжать/продолжить (prodolžátat’/prodólžit’) Spanish: seguir es(es), continuar es(es) Swedish: fortsätta sv(sv)

to act as wicket-keeper

of livestock: to raise; to care for

Spanish: criar es(es)

[ Noun

Wikipedia

keep (plural keeps)

1. The main tower of a castle or fortress, located within thee castle walls.
2. Support.

   He works as a cobbler's apprentice for his keep.

[ Translations

main tower

Finnish: keskustorni German: Burgfried m.

Spanish: torre del homenaje f.

support

Finnish: elanto fi(fi)

German: Lebensunterhalt de(de) m.

[ See also

• donjon

---

[ Estonian

[ Noun

keep

1. cloak, capote, gaberdine

---

[ Middle English

keep

1. note

   take keep — “take note”

   • Chaucer, G.P. 503-4:

     And shame it is, if a preest take keep

     A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep