Idioms for keep
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, nounWords nearby keep
British Dictionary definitions for keep at (1 of 2)
keep at
verb (preposition)
(intr)
to persevere with or persist in
(tr)
to constrain (a person) to continue doing (a task)
British Dictionary definitions for keep at (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 keep at (1 of 2)
keep at
Persevere or persist at doing something. For example, If you keep at your math, you'll soon master it. It is also put as keep at it, as in He kept at it all day and finally finished the report. [Early 1800s]
keep at someone. Nag, harass, or annoy someone, as in You have to keep at Carl if you want him to do the work, or He keeps at Millie all the time. Also see keep after.
Idioms and Phrases with keep at (2 of 2)
keep