keep a term see under term

keep back

1. To withhold
2. To keep down, repress

keep body and soul together

To stay alive

keep cave, company and counsel see under cave², etc.

keep down

1. To remain low or out of sight
2. To restrain, repress
3. To retain (food) in the stomach, not to vomit
4. To set in lower-case type, avoiding capitals

keep from

1. To abstain from
2. To remain away from

keep good hours see under hour

keep house see under house

keep in

1. To prevent from escaping
2. To confine in school after school hours
3. To conceal
4. To restrain

keep in with

To maintain the confidence or friendship of

keep off

1. To hinder or prevent from approaching or making an attack, etc
2. To stay away or refrain from
3. (of rain, etc) not to start

keep on

1. To continue
2. To retain, continue to employ

keep on about

To continue talking about

keep on at (informal)

To nag, badger

keep one's breath to cool one's porridge

To hold one's peace when further talk is clearly in vain

keep one's countenance

To avoid showing one's emotions

keep one's distance see under distance

keep (oneself) to oneself

To avoid the company of others

keep one's eye on see under eye¹

keep one's hand in

To retain one's skill by practice

keep one's head down

To avoid attracting attention to oneself

keep one's mind on

To concentrate on

keep one's powder dry see under powder

keep out

1. To remain outside
2. To exclude

keep someone going in something

To keep someone supplied with something

keep tabs on

To keep a check on, to keep account of

keep the peace see under peace

keep time

1. To observe rhythm accurately, or along with others
2. (of a clock or watch) to go accurately

keep to

1. To stick closely to
2. To confine oneself to

keep under

To hold down in restraint

keep up

1. To retain (one's strength or spirit)
2. To support, prevent from falling
3. To continue, to prevent from ceasing
4. To maintain in good condition
5. To continue to be in touch (with)
6. To keep pace (with)
7. To stop, stay (obsolete)

keep up with the Joneses

To keep on an equal social footing with one's neighbours, eg by having possessions of the same quality in the same quantity

keep wicket

To act as a wicketkeeper

term /tûrm/

noun

1. An end
2. The normal duration of a pregnancy, or its completion
3. Any limited period
4. The time for which anything lasts
5. A division of the academic or school year, alternating with holiday
6. A period of sittings (law)
7. (in pl) conditions, stipulations
8. (in pl) charge, fee
9. A quantity added to or subtracted from others in an expression (mathematics)
10. An item in a series
11. Either of the two quantities in a ratio (mathematics)
12. That which may be a subject or predicate of a proposition (logic)
13. A word used in a specially understood or defined sense
14. An expression generally
15. (in pl) language generally
16. A limit, boundary (archaic)
17. A term day
18. (in pl) a footing, relation
19. (in pl) respect (Shakespeare)
20. A bust in continuity with its pedestal (art and archaeology)

transitive verb

To call, designate

termˈer noun

1. A person who came to town during a law term (historical)
2. A termor (obsolete)

termˈless adjective

1. Endless
2. Inexpressible (Shakespeare)
3. Unconditional

termˈly adjective and adverb noun

A publication appearing once a term

termˈor or (obsolete) termˈer noun

A person who holds an estate for a term of years or for life

term assurance noun

A usu cheap form of life insurance which pays out only if the insured dies within the period specified

term day noun

A day of the year fixed for some purpose, such as payment of rent, the beginning or end of a tenancy, hiring of servants, household removals

term of art noun

A term having a special meaning in a certain art, craft, etc, a technical term

term of years noun

An interest or estate in land for a fixed period

terms of reference see under refer

terms of trade plural noun

Relation between export and import prices in national accounts

termˈ-time noun and adjective

bring to terms

To compel to the acceptance of conditions

come to terms

1. To come to an agreement
2. To submit

come to terms with

To find a way of living with (some personal trouble or difficulty)

eat one's terms see under eat

in terms

1. In so many words, explicitly
2. Engaged in negotiations

in terms of

1. Having or using as unit
2. In the language peculiar to
3. In respect of, with regard to

keep a term

To give the regular attendance during a period of study

longˈ- or shortˈ-termer

A person serving respectively a long or short prison sentence

make terms

To reach an agreement

on speaking terms

1. Friendly enough to speak to each other
2. Well enough acquainted to speak

on terms

1. In friendly relations
2. On an equal footing

stand upon terms

To insist upon conditions