kept

[ kept ]
/ kɛpt /

verb

simple past tense and past participle of keep.

adjective

having the expression of principles, ideas, etc., controlled, dominated, or determined by one whose money provides support: a kept press; a kept writer.

Origin of kept

1670–80 for def 2

OTHER WORDS FROM kept

un·kept, adjective well-kept, adjective

Definition for kept (2 of 2)

Origin of keep

before 1000; Middle English kepen, Old English cēpan to observe, heed, watch, await, take; perhaps akin to Old English gecōp proper, fitting, capian to look, Old Norse kōpa to stare

SYNONYMS FOR keep

1 Keep, reserve, retain, withhold refer to having and holding in possession. Keep (a common word) and retain (a more formal one) agree in meaning to continue to have or hold, as opposed to losing, parting with, or giving up: to keep a book for a week. To reserve is to keep for some future use, occasion, or recipient, or to hold back for a time: to reserve judgment. To withhold is generally to hold back altogether: to withhold help.
6 preserve.
8 detain, confine.
41 donjon, dungeon, stronghold.

OTHER WORDS FROM keep

keep·a·ble, adjective keep·a·bil·i·ty, noun

Example sentences from the Web for kept

British Dictionary definitions for kept (1 of 2)

kept
/ (kɛpt) /

verb

the past tense and past participle of keep
kept woman censorious a woman maintained by a man as his mistress

British Dictionary definitions for kept (2 of 2)

keep
/ (kiːp) /

verb keeps, keeping or kept (kɛpt)

noun

Word Origin for keep

Old English cēpan to observe; compare Old Saxon kapōn to look, Old Norse kōpa to stare

Idioms and Phrases with kept

keep