keep one's distance

[ki:p wʌnz ˈdistəns]

verb

transitive verb

to retain in one's possession or power

kept the money we found

to refrain from granting, giving, or allowing

kept the news back

to have in control

keep your temper

to take notice of by appropriate conduct : fulfill: such as

to be faithful to

keep a promise

to act fittingly in relation to

keep the Sabbath

to conform to in habits or conduct

keep late hours

to stay in accord with (a beat)

keep time

preserve, maintain: such as

to watch over and defend

keep us from harm

to take care of : tend

keep a garden

to continue to maintain

keep watch

to cause to remain in a given place, situation, or condition

keep him waiting

to have or maintain in an established position or relationship—often used with onkept the cook on

keep a mistress

to maintain a record in

keep a diary

to have customarily in stock for sale

to restrain from departure or removal : detain

keep children after school

hold back, restrain kept him back with difficulty

keep them from going

save, reserve kept some out for a friend

keep some for later

to refrain from revealing

keep a secret

to confine oneself to

keep my room

to stay or continue in keep your seat

keep the path

to stay or remain on or in usually against opposition : hold

kept her ground

conduct, manage

keep a tearoom

intransitive verb

to maintain a course, direction, or progress

keep to the right

to continue usually without interruption keep quiet keep on smiling

keep talking

to persist in a practice kept on smoking in spite of warnings

kept bothering them

stay, remain keep off the grass: such as

keep out of the way

to stay even—usually used with up

keep up with the Joneses

to remain in good condition

meat will keep in the freezer

to remain secret

the secret would keep

to call for no immediate action

the matter will keep until morning

abstain, refrain

can't keep from talking

to be in session

school will keep through the winter—W. M. Thayer

of a quarterback to retain possession of a football especially after faking a handoff

chiefly British live, lodge

noun

the means or provisions by which one is kept

earned his keep

one that keeps or protects: such as

fortress, castlespecifically: the strongest and securest part of a medieval castle

one whose job is to keep or tend

prison, jail

keeper sense 5

maintenance

archaic custody, charge

Verb and Noun Middle English kepen, from Old English cēpan; perhaps akin to Old High German chapfēn to look

The first known use of keep was before the 12th century

dish outverb

to give out freely

dish out advice

uppercaseadjective

capital entry 1 sense 2

uppercaseadjective

capital entry 1 sense 2

dispenseverb

to give out in shares

dispense charity

to give out as deserved

dispense justice

to prepare and give out (medicines)

disposeverb

incline entry 1 sense 2

I was not disposed to go to the meeting

to put in place or in readiness : arrange

you'll need more room to dispose your legs comfortably

up-and-downadjective

marked by alternate upward and downward movement, action, or surface

perpendicular entry 1 sense 1

up1 of 5adverb

in or to a higher position or levelespecially: away from the center of the earth

held up my hand

from beneath a surface (as ground or water)

pulling up weeds

from below the horizon

watched the moon come up

in or into an upright position

stand up

out of bed

stayed up late

with greater force

speak up

in or into a better or more advanced state

worked our way up in the world

at an end

our time was up

in or into a state of greater activity

stir up a fire

to or at a greater rate, speed, or amount

prices went up

into existence, evidence, or knowledge

the missing ring turned up

into consideration

brought the matter up

into possession or control

gave himself up

entirely, completely the house burned up

eat it up

in or into storage put our boat up for the winter

lay up supplies

so as to arrive or approach

came up the drive

in or into parts

tear up paper

to a stop drew up at the curb

pull up

for each side

score was 15 up

up2 of 5adjective

risen above the horizon or ground

the sun was up

being out of bed

higher than usual prices are up

the river is up

raised so as to be open : lifted

windows are up

put together : built

the house is up

grown above a surface

the corn is up

moving or going upward

the up escalator

being on one's feet and busy

was eager to be up and doing

well prepared

the team was up for the game

going on : taking place

find out what is up

well informed

always up on the news

being ahead of an opponent

was three games up in the series

presented for or under consideration

up for reelection

charged before a court

was up for robbery

being the one whose turn it is

you're up next

up3 of 5preposition

to, toward, or at a higher point of

up the hill

toward the beginning of

going up the river

toward the northern or upper end or part of

sailed up the coast

along the course of

walking up the street

up4 of 5noun

an upward course or slope

a period or state of success

had had my ups and downs

up5 of 5verb

to act suddenly or surprisingly

up and left town

to rise from a lying or sitting position

to move or cause to move upward : ascend, raise

upped the prices

keep1 of 2verb

to be faithful to : fulfill

keep a promise

to act properly in relation to

keep the Sabbath

protect

keep us from harm

to take care of : tend

keep a garden

to continue doing something : maintain keep on working keep that up and you'll get into trouble

keep silence

to have in one's service or at one's disposal

keep a car

to preserve a record in

keep a diary

to have on hand regularly for sale

keep neckties

to continue to have in one's possession or power

kept the marbles I won

to prevent from leaving : detain was kept after school

keep a person in jail

to place for storage keep my socks in a drawer

keeps the catsup in the refrigerator

to hold back

keep a secret

to remain or cause to remain in a place, situation, or condition keep him waiting

keep off the grass

to continue in an unspoiled condition

food that keeps well

refrain entry 1

keep from talking

to take charge of (as a business) : manage

kept an inn

keep2 of 2noun

the strongest part of a castle in the Middle Ages

the necessities of life

earn one's keep