Part 495

Shak.

Every one of them kept house by himself.

Hayward.

10. To supply with necessaries of life; to entertain; as, to keep boarders.

11. 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.

Shak.

12. To have habitually in stock for sale.

13. 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.

Shak.

Within this portal as I kept my watch.

Smollett.

14. 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.

2 Tim. iv. 7.

Him whom to love is to obey, and keep His great command.

Milton.

15. 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. Shak.

'Tis hallowed ground; Fairies, and fawns, and satyrs do it keep.

J. Fletcher.

16. 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.

Ps. xlii. 4.

To keep at arm's length. See under Arm, n. -- To keep back. (a) To reserve; to withhold. "I will keep nothing back from you." Jer. xlii. 4. (b) To restrain; to hold back. "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins." Ps. xix. 13. -- To keep company with. (a) To frequent the society of; to associate with; as, let youth keep company with the wise and good. (b) To accompany; to go with; as, to keep company with one on a voyage; also, to pay court to, or accept attentions from, with a view to marriage. [Colloq.] -- To keep counsel. See under Counsel, n. -- To keep down. (a) To hold in subjection; to restrain; to hinder. (b) (Fine Arts) To subdue in tint or tone, as a portion of a picture, so that the spectator's attention may not be diverted from the more important parts of the work. -- To keep good (or bad) hours, to be customarily early (or late) in returning home or in retiring to rest. -- To keep house. (a) To occupy a separate house or establishment, as with one's family, as distinguished from boarding; to manage domestic affairs. (b) (Eng. Bankrupt Law) To seclude one's self in one's house in order to evade the demands of creditors. -- To keep one's hand in, to keep in practice. -- To keep open house, to be hospitable. -- To keep the peace (Law), to avoid or to prevent a breach of the peace. -- To keep school, to govern, manage and instruct or teach a school, as a preceptor. -- To keep a stiff upper lip, to keep up one's courage. [Slang] -- To keep term. (a) (Eng. Universities) To reside during a term. (b) (Inns of Court) To eat a sufficient number of dinners in hall to make the term count for the purpose of being called to the bar. [Eng.] Mozley & W. -- To keep touch. See under Touch, n. -- To keep under, to hold in subjection; hence, to oppress. -- To keep up. (a) To maintain; to prevent from falling or diminution; as, to keep up the price of goods; to keep up one's credit. (b) To maintain; to continue; to prevent from ceasing. "In joy, that which keeps up the action is the desire to continue it." Locke.

Syn. -- To retain; detain; reserve; preserve; hold; restrain; maintain; sustain; support; withhold. -- To Keep. Retain, Preserve. Keep is the generic term, and is often used where retain or preserve would too much restrict the meaning; as, to keep silence, etc. Retain denotes that we keep or hold things, as against influences which might deprive us of them, or reasons which might lead us to give them up; as, to retain vivacity in old age; to retain counsel in a lawsuit; to retain one's servant after a reverse of fortune. Preserve denotes that we keep a thing against agencies which might lead to its being destroyed or broken in upon; as, to preserve one's health; to preserve appearances.

Keep (?), v. i. 1. To remain in any position or state; to continue; to abide; to stay; as, to keep at a distance; to keep aloft; to keep near; to keep in the house; to keep before or behind; to keep in favor; to keep out of company, or out reach.

2. To last; to endure; to remain unimpaired.