- OE. kēpen, AS. cēpan to keep, regard, desire, await, take, betake; cf. AS. copenere lover, OE. copnien to desire
- To care; to desire.ObsI kepe not of armes for to yelp [boast].
- To hold; to restrain from departure or removal; not to let go of; to retain in one's power or possession; not to lose; to retain; to detain.If we lose the field, We can not keep the town.That I may know what keeps me here with you.If we would weigh and keep in our minds what we are considering, that would instruct us.
- To cause to remain in a given situation or condition; to maintain unchanged; to hold or preserve in any state or tenor.His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal.Keep a stiff rein, and move but gently on.
- To have in custody; to have in some place for preservation; to take charge of.The crown of Stephanus, first king of Hungary, was always kept in the castle of Vicegrade.
- To preserve from danger, harm, or loss; to guard.Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee.
- To preserve from discovery or publicity; not to communicate, reveal, or betray, as a secret.Great are thy virtues . . . though kept from man.
- To attend upon; to have the care of; to tend.And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it.In her girlish age, she kept sheep on the moor.
- To record transactions, accounts, or events in; as, to keep books, a journal, etc.; also, to enter (as accounts, records, etc. ) in a book.
- To maintain, as an establishment, institution, or the like; to conduct; to manage; as, to keep store.Like a pedant that keeps a school.Every one of them kept house by himself.
- To supply with necessaries of life; to entertain; as, to keep boarders.
- To have in one's service; to have and maintain, as an assistant, a servant, a mistress, a horse, etc.I keep but three men and a boy.
- To have habitually in stock for sale.
- To continue in, as a course or mode of action; not to intermit or fall from; to hold to; to maintain; as, to keep silence; to keep one's word; to keep possession.Both day and night did we keep company.Within this portal as I kept my watch.
- To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; not to swerve from or violate; to practice or perform, as duty; not to neglect; to be faithful to.I have kept the faith.Him whom to love is to obey, and keep His great command.
- To confine one's self to; not to quit; to remain in; as, to keep one's house, room, bed, etc.; hence, to haunt; to frequent.'Tis hallowed ground; Fairies, and fawns, and satyrs do it keep.
- To observe duly, as a festival, etc.; to celebrate; to solemnize; as, to keep a feast.I went with them to the house of God . . . with a multitude that kept holyday.To retain; detain; reserve; preserve; hold; restrain; maintain; sustain; support; withhold.To Keep.
