1. To hold or to retain an object or idea in one's possession: Laurie wants to keep all of the gifts her uncle gave to her on her birthday.
2. To support, preserve, or ensure the future of: Susana wanted to keep her family name when she got married.
3. To maintain, to make provision for, or to care for: Sabina agreed to keep her niece for a week while her parents went on a business trip.
4. To protect, hold back, or to prevent the movement of someone or something: The police officers were told to keep everyone away from the accident!
5. To proceed, to continue, to move in a direction: Please, keep moving to the entrance.
6. To go along with, to observe, to maintain: Elva and Alfred want to keep the religious holidays.
7. Etymology: from Old English cepan, "to observe, to see, to comply with".