keep

to keep; to maintain condition of; to preserve

(sports) to mark or guard a player from the opposing team


keep

nl-noun

keep f (plural kepen, diminutive keepje n)

kepen (plural)
keepje (diminutive neuter)

Afrikaans: keep

From Middle Dutch *kēp, *kip, from Old Dutch *kip (compare Old Dutch kip (“fetter”)), from Proto-West Germanic *kipp- (“to cut, split”), from Proto-Germanic *kipp- (“to split”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵey- (“to split, divide, geminate, sprout”). Cognate with Middle Low German kēp ("notch, incision"; > German Low German Keep (“score, notch, nick”)), Old English ċipp (“shaving, chip”).

gloss

"notch, incision"; > German Low German <i class="Latn mention" lang="nds-de">Keep</i> (“score, notch, nick”)


keep

Fringilla montifringilla
Fringilla montifringilla#Translingual

nl-noun

keep m (plural kepen, diminutive keepje n)

Unknown, but possibly related to German Kepf (“bird of prey”).
West Frisian keepfink (“bramblefinch”) is likely an adapted borrowing of the Dutch.


keep

(ball games, chiefly soccer, colloquial) Synonym of keeper


keep

to keep silence;  to keep possession

(transitive) To continue in (a course or mode of action); to not intermit or fall from; to uphold or maintain.

to keep one's word;  to keep one's promise

Both day and night did we keep company.

c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:

Within the Portal as I kept my Watch, / Swift gliding Shadows by the glimm'ring Moon, I could perceive in Forms of armed Men, / Poſſeſſ the Space that borders on the Porch— […]

1749, [Tobias George Smollett], The Regicide: Or, James the First, of Scotland. A Tragedy. […], London: […] [F]or the benefit of the author, →OCLC, Act V, scene v, page 70:

(transitive) To remain faithful to a given promise or word.

To remain faithful to a given promise or word.

I keep a small stock of painkillers for emergencies.

(transitive) To hold the status of something.

To hold the status of something.
To maintain possession of.

I keep my specimens under glass to protect them.

The abundance of squirrels kept the dogs running for hours.

Mr. Cooke had had a sloop yacht built at Far Harbor, the completion of which had been delayed, and which was but just delivered.[…]The Maria had a cabin, which was finished in hard wood and yellow plush, and accommodations for keeping things cold.

1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter X, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:

She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill.

1935, George Goodchild, chapter 1, in Death on the Centre Court:

(ditransitive) To maintain the condition of; to preserve in a certain state.

To maintain the condition of; to preserve in a certain state.

I used to keep a diary.

(transitive) To record transactions, accounts, or events in.

To record transactions, accounts, or events in.

(transitive) To enter (accounts, records, etc.) in a book.

To enter (accounts, records, etc.) in a book.

Metrocles somewhat indiscreetly, as he was disputing in his Schole, in presence of his auditory, let a fart, for shame whereof he afterwards kept his house and could not be drawen abroad[…].

1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:

The wrathful skies / Gallow the very wanderers of the dark / And make them keep their caves.

c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

The following day she was so ill that she kept her bed; the husband went not once to enquire for her, nor did he send any message: he also kept his apartment, and was heard walking backwards and forwards with a hurried pace the whole of that day.

1789, John Moore, Zeluco, Valancourt, published 2008, page 71:

"As I sat alone at my breakfast--Mrs. Challenger is in the habit of keeping her room of a morning--it suddenly entered my head that it would be entertaining and instructive to see whether I could find any limits to this woman's inperturbability."

1913, Arthur Conan Doyle, “(please specify the page)”, in The Poison Belt […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:

(archaic) To remain in; to be confined to.

To hold the status of something.
To remain in; to be confined to.

I keep my pet gerbil away from my brother.

Don't let me keep you; I know you have things to be doing.

To hold the status of something.
To restrain.

May the Lord keep you from harm.

cursse on thy cruell hond, / That twise hath sped; yet shall it not thee keepe / From the third brunt of this my fatall brond […]

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

(with from) To watch over, look after, guard, protect.

To watch over, look after, guard, protect.

He kept a mistress for over ten years.

To supply with necessities and financially support (a person).

To supply with necessities and financially support (a person).

He has been keeping orchids since retiring.

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

1914, Robert Joos, Success with Hens, Forbes & company, page 217:

Jailing her on Wednesday, magistrate Liz Clyne told Robins: "You have shown little remorse either for the death of the kitten or the trauma to your former friend Sarah Knutton." She was also banned from keeping animals for 10 years.

2011 December 14, Steven Morris, “Devon woman jailed for 168 days for killing kitten in microwave”, in The Guardian:

(of living things) To raise; to care for.

To hold the status of something.
To raise; to care for.

I know that it's a secret / And that I gotta keep it / But I want the lights on / Yeah, I want the lights on

2012, Anthony Reyes, Melissa Sheppard, “Leave the Lights On”, in The Bright Side, performed by Meiko:

To refrain from freely disclosing (a secret).

To refrain from freely disclosing (a secret).

like a pedant that keeps a school

c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

They were honourably accompanied and with great estate brought to London, where euery of them kept house by himselfe.

1630, John Hayward, The Life, and Raigne of King Edward the Sixt, London: John Partridge, page 114:

At half-past nine on this Saturday evening, the parlour of the Salutation Inn, High Holborn, contained most of its customary visitors.[…]In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.

1892, Walter Besant, chapter III, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:

To maintain (an establishment or institution); to conduct; to manage.

To hold the status of something.
To have habitually in stock for sale.

She kept to her bed while the fever lasted.

Knock at his study, where, they say, he keeps, / To ruminate strange plots of dire revenge; […]

c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:

(intransitive) To hold or be held in a state.

(obsolete) To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.

To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.

I keep taking the tablets, but to no avail.

Not unnaturally, “Auntie” took this communication in bad part. […] Next day she […] tried to recover her ward by the hair of the head. Then, thwarted, the wretched creature went to the police for help; she was versed in the law, and had perhaps spared no pains to keep on good terms with the local constabulary.

1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic[…]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become.[…]But the scandals kept coming, and so we entered stage three – what therapists call "bargaining". A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul. Instead it offers fixes and patches.

2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:

To hold or be held in a state.
To continue.

Potatoes can keep if they are in a root cellar.

Latex paint won't keep indefinitely.

If the malt be not thoroughly dried, the ale it makes will not keep.

1707, John Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry:

To hold or be held in a state.
To remain edible or otherwise usable.

The rabbit avoided detection by keeping still.

Keep calm! There's no need to panic.

To hold or be held in a state.
To remain in a state.

And thenne whan the damoysel knewe certaynly that he was not syre launcelot / thenne she took her leue and departed from hym / And thenne syre Trystram rode pryuely vnto the posterne where kepte hym la beale Isoud / and there she made hym good chere and thanked god of his good spede

1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter X, in Le Morte Darthur, book VIII (in Middle English):

Godfrey Evans kept for England for many years.

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

[…] kepe that the lustes choke not the word of God that is sowen in vs,

c. 1530, William Tyndale, “A Pathway into the holy Scripture”, in The Whole Workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, London: John Day, published 1573, page 384:

(intransitive, obsolete) To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.

To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.

School keeps today.

(intransitive, obsolete) To be in session; to take place.

I have kept the faith: […]

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Timothy 4:7:

Be strong, live happie, and love, but first of all / Him whom to love is to obey, and keep / His great command; […]

1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1271–1272:

(transitive) To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; to not swerve from or violate.

[…] 'tis hallowed ground;
No Maid seeks here her strayed Cow, or Sheep,
Fairies, and fawns, and satyrs do it keep:

c. 1608, John Fletcher, The Faithful Shepherdess, Act III, Scene 1:

(transitive, dated, by extension) To visit (a place) often; to frequent.

to keep the Sabbath

The feast of St. Stephen is kept on December 26.

"Nephew!" returned the uncle sternly, "keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine."

1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave I. Marley’s Ghost.”, in A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 8:

"Oh, we are from Osthalla," says one of them, "we are going to the Veien dairy to keep the wedding; the one who drives in front is the parson, next are the bride and bridegroom, and I am his father-in-law."

1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 288:

(transitive, dated) To observe or celebrate (a holiday).

en-verb

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

keeps (present singular third-person)
keeping (participle present)
kept (participle past)
kept (past)

keep one's breath to cool one's porridge

the family that sleeps together keeps together

who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl

պահպանել

to maintain the condition of; to preserve

aushalten

supply with necessities and financially support a person

From Middle English kepen (“to keep, guard, look after, watch”), from Old English cēpan (“to seize, hold, observe”), from Proto-West Germanic *kōpijan, from Proto-Germanic *kōpijaną (“to look, heed, watch, observe”) (compare West Frisian kypje (“to look”)), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵab-, *ǵāb- (“to look after”) (compare Lithuanian žẽbti (“to eat reluctantly”), Russian забо́та (zabóta, “care, worry”)).

inh

Middle English kepen (“to keep, guard, look after, watch”)

Old English cēpan (“to seize, hold, observe”)

Proto-Germanic *kōpijaną (“to look, heed, watch, observe”)


keep

(historical) The main tower of a castle or fortress, located within the castle walls.

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

The food or money required to keep someone alive and healthy; one's support, maintenance.

So Sir Gareth strayned hym so that his olde wounde braste ayen on bledynge; but he was hote and corragyous and toke no kepe, but with his grete forse he strake downe the knyght[…].

1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum XXIII”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book VII, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC:

So Sir Gareth strained him, so that his old wound brast again a-bleeding; but he was hot and courageous and took no keep, but with his great force he struck down the knight […].

Pan, thou god of shepherds all, / Which of our tender lambkins takest keep.

1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “December. Ægloga Duodecima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger, […], →OCLC:

(obsolete) The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge; notice.

to be in good keep

The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case.

Often he used of his keep / A sacrifice to bring.

1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Iuly. Ægloga Septima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger, […], →OCLC:

(obsolete) That which is kept in charge; a charge.

(engineering) A cap for holding something, such as a journal box, in place.

en-noun

keep (countable and uncountable, plural keeps)

From Middle English kepe, kep, from the verb (see above).


keep

keebi (genitive)
keepi (partitive)
keep (nominative singular)
keebid (nominative plural)
keep (accusative nominative singular)
keebid (accusative nominative plural)
keebi (accusative genitive singular)
keebid (accusative genitive plural)
keebi (genitive singular)
keepide (genitive plural)
keepi (partitive singular)
keepe (partitive plural)
keepisid (partitive plural)
keepi (illative singular)
keebisse (illative singular)
keepidesse (illative plural)
keebesse (illative plural)
keebis (inessive singular)
keepides (inessive plural)
keebes (inessive plural)
keebist (elative singular)
keepidest (elative plural)
keebest (elative plural)
keebile (allative singular)
keepidele (allative plural)
keebele (allative plural)
keebil (adessive singular)
keepidel (adessive plural)
keebel (adessive plural)
keebilt (ablative singular)
keepidelt (ablative plural)
keebelt (ablative plural)
keebiks (singular translative)
keepideks (plural translative)
keebeks (plural translative)
keebini (singular terminative)
keepideni (plural terminative)
keebina (essive singular)
keepidena (essive plural)
keebita (abessive singular)
keepideta (abessive plural)
keebiga (comitative singular)
keepidega (comitative plural)


keep

taken keep

c. 1368, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Book of the Duchess, as recorded c. 1440–1450 in Bodleian Library MS. Fairfax 16, folio 130r

I have so many idle thoughts / Purely from lack of sleep / That I swear I take no heed / Of anything, whether it comes or goes, / And nothing is either dear to me or hated.

I have so many an ydel thoght / Purely for defaulte of slepe / That by my trouthe I take no kepe / Of noo thinge how hyt cometh or gooth / Ne me nys no thynge leve nor looth

And shame it is, if a preest take keep
A shiten shepherde, and a clene sheep

1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 8, recto, lines 503-4:

And—if a priest may take note—it’s a shame:
A shit-stained shepherd and a clean sheep.

English: keep

From the verb kepen (“to keep, to care about”).


keep

Shoo zent him anoor die a gozleen to keep;

1867, “SONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 6, page 108:

She sent him another day the goslings to keep;

From Middle English kepen, from Old English cēpan, from Proto-West Germanic *kōpijaną.