| keep | 1. The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge. "Pan, thou god of shepherds all, Which of our tender lambkins takest keep." (Spenser) 2. The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case; as, to be in good keep. 3. The means or provisions by which one is kept; maintenance; support; as, the keep of a horse. "Grass equal to the keep of seven cows." (Carlyle) "I performed some services to the college in return for my keep." (T. Hughes) 4. That which keeps or protects; a stronghold; a fortress; a castle; specifically, the strongest and securest part of a castle, often used as a place of residence by the lord of the castle, especially during a siege; the donjon. "The prison strong, Within whose keep the captive knights were laid." (Dryden) "The lower chambers of those gloomy keeps." (Hallam) "I think . . . The keep, or principal part of a castle, was so called because the lord and his domestic circle kept, abode, or lived there." (M. A. Lower) 5. That which is kept in charge; a charge. "Often he used of his keep A sacrifice to bring." (Spenser) 6. <machinery> A cap for retaining anything, as a journal box, in place. To take keep, to take care; to heed. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| keeper | 1. One who, or that which, keeps; one who, or that which, holds or has possession of anything. 2. One who retains in custody; one who has the care of a prison and the charge of prisoners. 3. One who has the care, custody, or superintendence of anything; as, the keeper of a park, a pound, of sheep, of a gate, etc.; the keeper of attached property; hence, one who saves from harm; a defender; a preserver. "The Lord is thy keeper." (Ps. Cxxi. 6) 4. One who remains or keeps in a place or position. "Discreet; chaste; keepers at home." (Titus II. 5) 5. A ring, strap, clamp, or any device for holding an object in place; as: The box on a door jamb into which the bolt of a lock protrudes, when shot. A ring serving to keep another ring on the finger. A loop near the buckle of a strap to receive the end of the strap. 6. A fruit that keeps well; as, the Roxbury Russet is a good keeper. Keeper of the forest, an officer who had the principal government of all things relating to the forest. Keeper of the great seal, a high officer of state, who has custody of the great seal. The office is now united with that of lord chancellor. Keeper of the King's conscience, the lord chancellor; a name given when the chancellor was an ecclesiastic. Keeper of the privy seal (styled also lord privy seal), a high officer of state, through whose hands pass all charters, pardons, etc, before they come to the great seal. He is a privy councillor, and was formerly called clerk of the privy seal. Keeper of a magnet, a piece of iron which connects the two poles, for the purpose of keeping the magnetic power undiminished; an armature. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| keeping | 1. A holding; restraint; custody; guard; charge; care; preservation. "His happiness is in his own keeping." (South) 2. Maintenance; support; provision; feed; as, the cattle have good keeping. "The work of many hands, which earns my keeping." (Milton) 3. Conformity; congruity; harmony; consistency; as, these subjects are in keeping with each other. 4. Harmony or correspondence between the different parts of a work of art; as, the foreground of this painting is not in keeping. Keeping room, a family sitting room. Synonym: Care, guardianship, custody, possession. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |