I Kiːp Keeping I’ve Notice Grass Continue Past

• we huddled together to keep warm.
• the notice said ‘keep off (= do not walk on) the grass’.
• keep left along the wall.
• she kept the children amused for hours.

keep

1. to stay in a particular condition or position; to make somebody/something do this
• We huddled together to keep warm.
• The notice said ‘Keep off (= Do not walk on) the grass’.
• Keep left along the wall.
• She kept the children amused for hours.
• He kept his coat on.
• Don't keep us in suspense—what happened next?
• She had trouble keeping her balance.
• I'm very sorry to keep you waiting.
2. to continue doing something; to do something repeatedly
• Keep smiling!
• Don't keep on interrupting me!
3. to delay somebody
• synonym hold somebody/somethingup
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/hold-up_2
• You're an hour late—what kept you?
4. to continue to have something and not give it back or throw it away
• Here's a five dollar bill—please keep the change.
• I keep all her letters.
5. to save something for somebody
• Please keep a seat for me.
• Please keep me a seat.
6. to put or store something in a particular place
• Keep your passport in a safe place.
7. to own and manage a shop/store or restaurant
• Her father kept a grocer's shop.
8. to own and care for animals
• to keep bees/goats/hens
9. used to ask or talk about somebody’s health
• How is your mother keeping?
• We're all keeping well.
10. to remain in good condition
• Finish off the pie—it won't keep.
• ‘I'd love to hear about it, but I'm late already.’ ‘That's OK—it'll keep (= I can tell you about it later).’
11. to know something and not tell it to anyone
• Can you keep a secret?
• She kept her past secret from us all.
12. to do what you have promised to do; to go where you have agreed to go
• She kept her promise to visit them.
• He failed to keep his appointment at the clinic.
13. to write down something as a record
• She kept a diary for over twenty years.
• Keep a note of where each item can be found.
• I kept a weekly account of my workload and activities.
14. to provide what is necessary for somebody to live; to support somebody by paying for food, etc.
• He scarcely earns enough to keep himself and his family.
15. to protect somebody from something
• May the Lord bless you and keep you (= used in prayers in the Christian Church).
• His only thought was to keep the boy from harm.
16. to guard or protect the goal or wicket
• see also goalkeeper
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/goalkeeper
17. to make an effort to live normally when you are in a difficult situation or when you have experienced great suffering
• You just have to keep yourself busy and keep going.
18. used to encourage somebody to continue doing something
• Keep going, Sarah, you're nearly there.
19. to be enough for somebody until they get what they are waiting for
• Have an apple to keep you going till dinner time.

Extra Examples

• Milk and cream should keep quite well in a fridge.
• Don’t keep us in suspense —what happened next?
• I could not keep silent any longer.
• I want to keep on with part-time work for as long as possible.
• I wish you wouldn’t keep on interrupting me!
• I’m amazed that she keeps so cheerful.
• I’m very sorry to keep you waiting.
• I’ve kept all her letters.
• I’ve kept two seats for us near the front.
• If we all keep to the agreement there won’t be any problems.
• It was difficult for the team to keep to the plan.
• Keep close to me.
• My grandmother kept chickens in her back yard.
• Residents are not allowed to keep pets.
• Separate accounts must be kept for each different business activity.
• She had trouble keeping her balance.
• She handed me a ten dollar bill. ‘Here— keep the change.’
• She needed to keep busy.
• Sit down and keep calm!
• The documents are all kept under lock and key.
• The man in the shop said he’d keep it for me until Friday.
• The notice said ‘Keep off the grass’.
• This voucher should be kept. It will be accepted by the Inland Revenue as evidence of a Tax Credit.
• Try to keep active in the cold weather.
• Village clerks were unable to keep a proper record of deaths because they were so frequent.
• We managed to keep dry by huddling in a doorway.
• Where do you keep the sugar?
• to keep bees/goats
• At the time many working men did not earn enough to keep a wife and children.
• He kept himself by giving private lessons.
• I must go now. I’ve kept you from your dinner too long.
• I need to work—I can’t go on being a kept man.
• I won’t keep you long. I’ve just got a couple of quick questions.
• You’re an hour late—what kept you?

Verb Forms

• present simple I / you / we / they keep
• he / she / it keeps
• past simple kept
• past participle kept
• -ing form keeping

Word Origin

• late Old English cēpan ‘seize, take in’, also ‘care for, attend to’, of unknown origin.