KEEP

I. verb (kept; ~ing) Etymology: Middle English kepen, from Old English cēpan; perhaps akin to Old High German chapfēn to look Date: before 12th century transitive verb to take notice of by appropriate conduct ; fulfill : as, to be faithful to , to act fittingly in relation to , to conform to in habits or conduct , to stay in accord with (a beat) , preserve , maintain : as, to watch over and defend , b. to take care of ; tend , support , to maintain in a good, fitting, or orderly condition, to continue to maintain , d. to cause to remain in a given place, situation, or condition , to preserve (food) in an unspoiled condition, e. to have or maintain in an established position or relationship , to lodge or feed for pay , f. to maintain a record in , to enter in a book , to have customarily in stock for sale, 3. to restrain from departure or removal ; detain , hold back , restrain , save , reserve , to refrain from revealing , 4. to retain in one's possession or power , to refrain from granting, giving, or allowing , to have in control , to confine oneself to , 6. to stay or continue in , to stay or remain on or in usually against opposition ; hold , conduct , manage , intransitive verb live , lodge , 2. to maintain a course, direction, or progress , to continue usually without interruption , to persist in a practice , stay , remain , to stay even, to remain in good condition , to remain secret , to call for no immediate action , abstain , refrain , to be in session , to retain possession of a football especially after faking a handoff, Synonyms: see: ~ Synonyms: see: ~ II. noun Date: 1579 1. custody , charge , maintenance , one that ~s or protects: as, fortress , castle , one whose job is to ~ or tend, prison , jail , the means or provisions by which one is kept , ~er 5