keep in WordNet English dictionary

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"
   support  keep  livelihood  living  bread and butter  sustenance 
   
2. the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
   keep  donjon  dungeon 
   
3. a cell in a jail or prison
   hold  keep 
   

1. behave as expected during of holidays or rites
   "Keep the commandments"; "celebrate Christmas"; "Observe Yom Kippur"
   observe  celebrate  keep 
   
2. 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"
   retain  continue  keep  keep on 
   
3. 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"
   continue  go on  proceed  go along  keep 
   
4. 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"
   keep  maintain  hold 
   
5. keep under control; keep in check
   "suppress a smile"; "Keep your temper"; "keep your cool"
   restrain  keep  keep back  hold back 
   
6. retain possession of
   "Can I keep my old stuffed animals?"; "She kept her maiden name after she married"
   keep  hold on 
   
7. retain rights to
   "keep my job for me while I give birth"; "keep my seat, please"; "keep open the possibility of a merger"
   keep open  hold open  keep  save 
   
8. prevent (food) from rotting
   "preserved meats"; "keep potatoes fresh"
   preserve  keep 
   
9. stick to correctly or closely
   "The pianist kept time with the metronome"; "keep count"; "I cannot keep track of all my employees"
   observe  keep  maintain 
   
10. maintain by writing regular records
    "keep a diary"; "maintain a record"; "keep notes"
    keep  maintain 
    
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"
    sustain  keep  maintain 
    
12. hold and prevent from leaving
    "The student was kept after school"
    keep 
    
13. look after; be the keeper of; have charge of
    "He keeps the shop when I am gone"
    keep 
    
14. maintain for use and service
    "I keep a car in the countryside"; "She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips"
    keep  maintain 
    
15. 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"
    keep 
    
16. store or keep customarily
    "Where do you keep your gardening tools?"
    keep 
    
17. 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"
    prevent  keep 
    
18. conform one's action or practice to
    "keep appointments"; "she never keeps her promises"; "We kept to the original conditions of the contract"
    observe  keep 
    
19. supply with room and board
    "He is keeping three women in the guest cottage"; "keep boarders"
    keep 
    
20. maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger
    "May God keep you"
    keep  preserve 
    
21. fail to spoil or rot
    "These potatoes keep for a long time"
    keep  stay fresh 
    
22. raise
    "She keeps a few chickens in the yard"; "he keeps bees"
    keep