Antonyms for keep
| Grammar : Verb |
| Spell : keep |
| Phonetic Transcription : kip |
- abandon
- advance
- aid
- allow
- assist
- blame
- cease
- condemn
- consume
- denounce
- deny
- deprive
- discontinue
- dishonor
- disobey
- disperse
- displace
- dispossess
- disregard
- disrespect
- dissipate
- divide
- encourage
- endanger
- expedite
- facilitate
- fail
- forget
- forward
- free
- further
- give
- give up
- halt
- hand over
- help
- hurt
- ignore
- lack
- leave
- let go
- let happen
- liberate
- lose
- mismanage
- miss
- need
- neglect
- not have
- overlook
- permit
- promote
- push
- release
- remove
- reproach
- rush
- scatter
- separate
- spend
- squander
- starve
- stop
- support
- use
- want
- waste
Definition of keep
Origin :- late Old English cepan "to seize, hold," also "to observe," from Proto-Germanic *kopijanan, but with no certain connection to other languages. It possibly is related to Old English capian "to look," from Proto-Germanic *kap- (cepan was used c.1000 to render Latin observare), which would make the basic sense "to keep an eye on."
- The word prob. belongs primarily to the vulgar and non-literary stratum of the language; but it comes up suddenly into literary use c.1000, and that in many senses, indicating considerable previous development. [OED]
- Sense of "preserve, maintain" is from mid-14c. Meaning "to maintain in proper order" is from 1550s; meaning "financially support and privately control" (usually in reference to mistresses) is from 1540s. Related: Kept; keeping.
- verb hold, maintain
- verb tend; provide for
- verb prevent
- verb commemorate; pay attention to
- When he finished, he said, "Now tell me where you keep your vegetables, Uncle Paul?"
- Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
- Being under his care, it was his duty to keep it in good condition.
- Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
- Our hero, though strong-armed, had hard work to keep up with him.
- Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
- I could keep only the effect of its expression and the few tones of your voice I heard.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- He had entered into the path of dishonesty, and he was forced to keep on in it.
- Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
- I'll feel safe enough about my money as long as you keep your health.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- Besides, it was not very substantial, and failed to keep up their wonted strength.
- Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
- Unless you do as I bid you, I will keep you in irons for the rest of the voyage!
- Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
- It is on Mr. Haley's account that I prefer to keep it secret.
- Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
- The struggle to keep alive during the cold period was terrible.
- Extract from : « Ancient Man » by Hendrik Willem van Loon
Synonyms for keep
- accumulate
- adhere to
- administer
- amass
- arrest
- attend
- avert
- bless
- block
- board
- cache
- care for
- carry
- carry on
- celebrate
- check
- command
- comply with
- conduct
- consecrate
- conserve
- constrain
- continue
- control
- curb
- deal in
- defend
- delay
- deposit
- detain
- deter
- direct
- endure
- enjoy
- feed
- foster
- fulfill
- garner
- grasp
- grip
- guard
- hamper
- hamstring
- have
- heap
- hinder
- hold
- hold back
- honor
- impede
- inhibit
- laud
- limit
- look after
- maintain
- manage
- mind
- minister to
- nourish
- nurture
- obey
- observe
- obstruct
- operate
- ordain
- own
- perform
- pile
- place
- possess
- praise
- preserve
- protect
- provision
- put
- put up
- regard
- reserve
- respect
- restrain
- retain
- retard
- ritualize
- run
- safeguard
- sanctify
- save
- season
- shackle
- shelter
- shield
- solemnize
- stack
- stall
- stock
- stop
- store
- subsidize
- support
- sustain
- trade in
- victual
- watch over
- withhold
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019