Word

keep, v.
(keeping, keeps, kept)
freq. cnt. 344

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., `keep clean'
<verb.stative> freq. cnt.: 326 freq. cnt.: 206 freq. cnt.: 79 freq. cnt.: 41

hold keep maintain

sample sentences

"hold in place"
"She always held herself as a lady"
"The students keep me on my toes"

verb frames

Something ----s something Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

verb frames

Something ----s something Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

verb frames

Something ----s something Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

lexical pointers

also see

keep in keep out keep off keep up keep off keep down keep apart keep up

lexical pointers

also see

hold back hold out hold over hold out hold up

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

maintainable maintainer

semantic pointers

hyponym

pressurize, pressurise continue, preserve, uphold, carry on, bear on hold over conserve preserve distance housekeep

continue a certain state, condition, or activity
<verb.stative> freq. cnt.: 233 freq. cnt.: 146 freq. cnt.: 44 freq. cnt.: 39 freq. cnt.: 3 freq. cnt.: 1

continue go along go on keep proceed

sample sentences

"Keep on working!"
"We continued to work into the night"
"Keep smiling"
"We went on working until well past midnight"

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
They %s to move
They %s moving

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
They %s moving

verb frames

Somebody ----s VERB-ing
They %s moving

verb frames

Somebody ----s VERB-ing

verb frames

Somebody ----s VERB-ing

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

continuation continuance continuation

antonym

discontinue

semantic pointers

hypernym

act, move

verb group

continue, preserve, uphold, carry on, bear on continue

hyponym

hold run on, keep going ride

retain possession of
<verb.possession> freq. cnt.: 32 freq. cnt.: 32

hold on keep

sample sentences

"Can I keep my old stuffed animals?"
"She kept her maiden name after she married"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
They %s the money

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

keeping

antonym

lose

also see

keep back keep back

semantic pointers

verb group

save, keep open, hold open, keep

hypernym

have, hold, have got

hyponym

hold over, carry over deny, refuse deduct, withhold, recoup save, preserve store, put in, salt away, hive away, lay in, stack away, stash away store hold, retain, keep back, hold back harbor, harbour

stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state
<verb.social> freq. cnt.: 62 freq. cnt.: 40 freq. cnt.: 22

keep prevent

sample sentences

"We must prevent the cancer from spreading"
"His snoring kept me from falling asleep"
"Keep the child from eating the marbles"

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP
They %s him from writing the letter

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP
They %s him from writing the letter

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

preventative preventive prevention

antonym

let

semantic pointers

hyponym

defend exclude, keep out, shut out, shut restrict hold keep away restrain blank hinder, impede wash out, rain out

verb group

keep

conform one's action or practice to
<verb.social> freq. cnt.: 10 freq. cnt.: 10

keep observe

sample sentences

"keep appointments"
"she never keeps her promises"
"We kept to the original conditions of the contract"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

keeping

antonym

break

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

observance

semantic pointers

hyponym

make good

stick to correctly or closely
<verb.cognition> freq. cnt.: 10 freq. cnt.: 9 freq. cnt.: 1

keep maintain observe

sample sentences

"The pianist kept time with the metronome"
"keep count"
"I cannot keep track of all my employees"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

observation observation observation observation observation

look after; be the keeper of; have charge of
<verb.possession> freq. cnt.: 8 freq. cnt.: 8

keep

sample sentences

"He keeps the shop when I am gone"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

keeping keeper keeper

semantic pointers

verb group

keep, preserve

hypernym

have, hold, have got

hyponym

maintain, preserve, keep up, conserve

maintain by writing regular records
<verb.communication> freq. cnt.: 4 freq. cnt.: 4

keep maintain

sample sentences

"keep a diary"
"maintain a record"
"keep notes"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

semantic pointers

hypernym

record, enter, put down

supply with necessities and support
<verb.consumption> freq. cnt.: 18 freq. cnt.: 13 freq. cnt.: 3 freq. cnt.: 2

keep maintain sustain

sample sentences

"She alone sustained her family"
"The money will sustain our good cause"
"There's little to earn and many to keep"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

maintenance maintenance

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

keep

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

sustenance

semantic pointers

hypernym

have, hold, have got

hyponym

patronage reseed carry

allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature
<verb.social> freq. cnt.: 7 freq. cnt.: 3 freq. cnt.: 2 freq. cnt.: 2

continue keep keep on retain

sample sentences

"We cannot continue several servants any longer"
"She retains a lawyer"
"The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff"
"Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"
"We kept the work going as long as we could"
"She retained her composure"
"this garment retains its shape even after many washings"

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

continuation

semantic pointers

hypernym

sustain, keep up, prolong

verb group

persist in, continue

supply with room and board
<verb.stative> freq. cnt.: 3 freq. cnt.: 3

keep

sample sentences

"He is keeping three women in the guest cottage"
"keep boarders"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Sam cannot %s Sue

semantic pointers

hypernym

lodge, accommodate

behave as expected during of holidays or rites
<verb.social> freq. cnt.: 16 freq. cnt.: 11 freq. cnt.: 3 freq. cnt.: 2

celebrate keep observe

sample sentences

"Keep the commandments"
"celebrate Christmas"
"Observe Yom Kippur"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

celebration celebration celebration celebrator celebrant

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

observant observance

semantic pointers

hyponym

mark, commemorate mourn solemnize, solemnise

fail to spoil or rot
<verb.stative> freq. cnt.: 2 freq. cnt.: 2

keep stay fresh

sample sentences

"These potatoes keep for a long time"

verb frames

Something ----s
This food does %s well

verb frames

Something ----s

semantic pointers

hypernym

remain, stay, rest

verb group

preserve, keep

maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger
<verb.stative> freq. cnt.: 1 freq. cnt.: 1

keep preserve

sample sentences

"May God keep you"

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

preservation preserve preserver

semantic pointers

hypernym

protect

verb group

keep

prevent (food) from rotting
<verb.change> freq. cnt.: 1 freq. cnt.: 1

keep preserve

sample sentences

"preserved meats"
"keep potatoes fresh"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
The chefs %s the vegetables

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

preservative preserve preserver

semantic pointers

hyponym

freeze-dry conserve dehydrate, desiccate pickle salt can, put up, tin refrigerate cure corn

verb group

keep, stay fresh

hypernym

prepare, cook, fix, ready, make

hold and prevent from leaving
<verb.contact>

keep

sample sentences

"The student was kept after school"

verb frames

Somebody ----s somebody

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

keep

semantic pointers

hypernym

detain, confine

verb group

prevent, keep

maintain for use and service
<verb.possession>

keep maintain

sample sentences

"I keep a car in the countryside"
"She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

semantic pointers

hypernym

have, hold, have got

have as a supply
<verb.possession>

keep

sample sentences

"I always keep batteries in the freezer"
"keep food for a week in the pantry"
"She keeps a sixpack and a week's worth of supplies in the refrigerator"