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.
ANTONYMS FOR keep
8
release.
OTHER WORDS FROM keep
keep·a·ble, adjective keep·a·bil·i·ty, nounWords nearby keep
British Dictionary definitions for keep to (1 of 2)
keep to
verb (preposition)
to adhere to or stand by or cause to adhere to or stand by
to keep to a promise
to confine or be confined to
keep to oneself
- (intr) to avoid the society of others
- (tr) to refrain from sharing or disclosing
keep oneself to oneself
to avoid the society of others
British Dictionary definitions for keep to (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 to (1 of 2)
keep to
Adhere to, conform to, as in Let's keep to the original purpose of this will. [Early 1600s]
Confine oneself to, as in Whenever she didn't feel well, she kept to her bed. Also see keep to oneself.
Idioms and Phrases with keep to (2 of 2)
keep