keep

Common in British English; used with small, often family-run shops rather than large department stores or chains. "Run" is more common for larger businesses; "keep" suggests a traditional, personal operation.

Refers to animals kept for practical purposes (food, wool, eggs) rather than household pets. Use "have a pet" or "own a dog/cat" for domestic companion animals.

Primarily British usage. The more common term worldwide is "look after" or "babysit". The focus is on looking after children in the carer's home (rather than going to the parents' house).

The most common objects are "promise", "word", "commitment", and "agreement". It is less natural to say "keep an arrangement" — use "keep an appointment" (sense 6) or simply "stick to an arrangement".

Distinguish from sense 5: sense 5 is about promises you make to do something ("keep a promise"), while sense 6 is about physically attending scheduled events ("keep an appointment"). The two overlap in "keep a date".

The object is typically a written or digital record such as a diary, journal, log, account, or list. Not used with spoken or unrecorded information — use 'remember' instead.

Often used with an object-complement structure (keep something secret, confidential, quiet). The preposition 'from' introduces the person who is not told.

Subject is always a timekeeping device — watch, clock, timer. The verb is intransitive; the phrase 'keep time' functions as a unit. Frequently used with intensifying adjectives: good, perfect, accurate, excellent.

Distinct from sense 9: this sense describes the mechanism of counting time (how a device measures seconds/minutes), while sense 9 describes whether a clock shows the correct time. The subject is the device itself, not a person.

The object is always a musical timing concept: the beat, the rhythm, or time. The subject is usually a musician, dancer, or conductor. 'Keep time' here (sense 11) means follow the musical pulse — distinct from senses 9 and 10 which involve clocks.

Subject is a person (referee, coach, volunteer, teacher) who tracks time for an event. Distinct from sense 10 (a device measuring the passage of time) and sense 9 (a clock showing correct time). This sense always has a person as the subject and an event or activity as the context.

Only used with a limited set of objects: 'keep goal' (football/hockey), 'keep wicket' (cricket). The object cannot be a person — you keep goal, not 'keep the goalkeeper'.

Commonly followed by an adjective (keep calm, keep safe, keep warm) or by an object + adjective/complement (keep the door shut, keep everyone informed). Can also take a prepositional phrase after the object (keep the dog in the garden).

Often takes a secondary complement describing the manner of concealment: 'keep it secret', 'keep it quiet', 'keep it hidden'. The source of concealment is introduced by 'from': 'keep the news from your parents.'

Always followed by the -ing form of another verb. Never use the infinitive (keep + to + verb is incorrect in this sense). The action can be continuous (kept raining all day) or repeated (kept forgetting the key).

Distinguish from sense 16 ('KEEP DOING'): sense 16 emphasises continuing an action without stopping (keep talking), while sense 17 emphasises maintaining a direction or route (keep on the road, keep going straight). 'Keep on' as a two-word form also works with -ing verbs when the focus is on perseverance rather than simple continuation.

Distinguish from sense 16 ('KEEP DOING'): sense 16 describes simple continuation of an action (keep talking, keep raining) without implying difficulty. Sense 18 ('PERSEVERE') implies effort or hardship — the speaker knows the situation is tough but the person continues anyway. Often appears as 'keep going' or 'keep it up' in encouraging contexts.

The object is always a person or a group of people. Common second elements after the object include 'going', 'alive', 'up' (spirits up), or a prepositional phrase describing a situation (e.g. 'at university', 'in school').

Often appears in the pattern 'keep + object + going' with a time phrase. The provided amount is always understood to be minimal — just enough to bridge a temporary gap. Frequently used in everyday speech about food ('this will keep me going until lunch').

The object is typically an organisation, system, activity, machine, or tradition — not a person. Frequently used in the pattern 'keep + object + adjective' where the adjective describes the desired state (open, alive, running, active).

Frequently used with a reason phrase explaining what caused the delay. The pattern 'keep + object + from + -ing' specifically means 'prevent someone from doing something'. In everyday conversation, 'kept me late' is a common short form ('The meeting kept me late').

Only used with modal-like expressions: 'can/can't keep', 'will/won't keep', or 'could/couldn't keep'. Never used in progressive forms ('it is keeping') or with a direct object. The subject is always abstract information — news, a question, a decision, a message.

Intransitive only — the food is the subject, and there is no object. Commonly appears with time expressions ('keep for three days', 'keep well into next week') and adverbs of quality ('keeps well/badly/beautifully'). Often used in conditional or imperative instructions about food storage.

Object is always a person (or oneself). Often implies providing the bare necessities rather than a comfortable standard of living.

This sense belongs almost exclusively to the vocabulary of medieval history, architecture, and historical fiction. Outside those contexts it may confuse readers.