From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
keep
n 1: the financial means whereby one lives; "each child was
expected to pay for their keep"; "he applied to the state
for support"; "he could no longer earn his own livelihood"
[syn: support, keep, livelihood, living, bread and
butter, sustenance]
2: the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or
fortress [syn: keep, donjon, dungeon]
3: a cell in a jail or prison [syn: hold, keep]
v 1: keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., "keep
clean"; "hold in place"; "She always held herself as a
lady"; "The students keep me on my toes" [syn: keep,
maintain, hold]
2: continue a certain state, condition, or activity; "Keep on
working!"; "We continued to work into the night"; "Keep
smiling"; "We went on working until well past midnight" [syn:
continue, go on, proceed, go along, keep] [ant:
discontinue]
3: retain possession of; "Can I keep my old stuffed animals?";
"She kept her maiden name after she married" [syn: keep,
hold on] [ant: lose]
4: stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in
a certain state; "We must prevent the cancer from spreading";
"His snoring kept me from falling asleep"; "Keep the child
from eating the marbles" [syn: prevent, keep] [ant:
allow, let, permit]
5: conform one's action or practice to; "keep appointments";
"she never keeps her promises"; "We kept to the original
conditions of the contract" [syn: observe, keep] [ant:
breach, break, go against, infract, offend,
transgress, violate]
6: stick to correctly or closely; "The pianist kept time with
the metronome"; "keep count"; "I cannot keep track of all my
employees" [syn: observe, keep, maintain]
7: look after; be the keeper of; have charge of; "He keeps the
shop when I am gone"
8: maintain by writing regular records; "keep a diary";
"maintain a record"; "keep notes" [syn: keep, maintain]
9: supply with room and board; "He is keeping three women in the
guest cottage"; "keep boarders"
10: allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a
property or feature; "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" [syn: retain, continue, keep, keep on]
11: supply with necessities and support; "She alone sustained
her family"; "The money will sustain our good cause";
"There's little to earn and many to keep" [syn: sustain,
keep, maintain]
12: fail to spoil or rot; "These potatoes keep for a long time"
[syn: keep, stay fresh]
13: behave as expected during of holidays or rites; "Keep the
commandments"; "celebrate Christmas"; "Observe Yom Kippur"
[syn: observe, celebrate, keep]
14: keep under control; keep in check; "suppress a smile"; "Keep
your temper"; "keep your cool" [syn: restrain, keep,
keep back, hold back]
15: maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger; "May God
keep you" [syn: keep, preserve]
16: raise; "She keeps a few chickens in the yard"; "he keeps
bees"
17: retain rights to; "keep my job for me while I give birth";
"keep my seat, please"; "keep open the possibility of a
merger" [syn: keep open, hold open, keep, save]
18: store or keep customarily; "Where do you keep your gardening
tools?"
19: have as a supply; "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"
20: maintain for use and service; "I keep a car in the
countryside"; "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her
shopping trips" [syn: keep, maintain]
21: hold and prevent from leaving; "The student was kept after
school"
22: prevent (food) from rotting; "preserved meats"; "keep
potatoes fresh" [syn: preserve, keep]