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[keep one’s chin up]{v. phr.} To be brave; be determined; face trouble with courage. •/He didn’t think that he would ever get out of the jungle alive, but he kept his chin up./ Compare: KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP.

[keep one’s distance]{v. phr.} To be cool toward someone; avoid being friendly. •/Mary did not like her co-worker, Betty, and kept her distance from her./ Compare: KEEP ONE AT A DISTANCE.

[keep one’s end up] See: HOLD ONE’S END UP.

[keep one’s eye on] See: KEEP AN EYE ON.

[keep one’s eye on the ball]{v. phr.} 1. To watch the ball at all times in a sport, usually in order to hit it or get it; not stop watching the ball. •/Keep your eye on the baseball or you won’t be able to hit it./ 2. {informal} To be watchful and ready; be wide-awake and ready to win or succeed; be smart. •/Tom is just starting on the job but if he keeps his eye on the ball, he will be promoted./ Compare: ON THE BALL, KEEP AN EYE ON or KEEP ONE’S EYE ON or HAVE ONE’S EYE ON.

[keep one’s eyes open] See: EYES OPEN.

[keep one’s eyes peeled] or [keep one’s eyes skinned] {v. phr.}, {informal} To watch carefully; be always looking. •/The bird-watcher kept his eyes peeled for bluebirds./ •/When the boys walked through the roads, they kept their eyes skinned for snakes./ Compare: EYES OPEN(1), EYE OUT.

[keep one’s feet]{v. phr.} To keep from falling or slipping down; keep your balance; remain standing. •/The boy stumbled on the stairs but was able to keep his feet./ Compare: REGAIN ONE’S FEET.

[keep one’s feet on the ground] See: FEET ON THE GROUND.

[keep one’s fingers crossed] See: CROSS ONE’S FINGERS(1b).

[keep one’s hand in]{v. phr.} To keep in practice; continue to take part. •/After he retired from teaching, Mr. Brown kept his hand in by giving a lecture once in a while./ •/Mr. Smith left the planning of the trip to his wife, but he kept his hand in, too./ Compare: KEEP UP.

[keep one’s head] also [keep one’s wits about one] {v. phr.} To stay calm when there is trouble or danger. •/When Tim heard the fire alarm he kept his head and looked for the nearest exit./ Compare: COUNT TO TEN. Contrast: LOSE ONE’S HEAD.

[keep one’s head above water]{v. phr.} To remain solvent; manage to stay out of debt. •/Herb’s income declined so drastically that he now has difficulty keeping his head above water./

[keep one’s mouth shut]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be or stay silent. — A rude expression when used as a command. •/When the crooks were captured by the police, their leader warned them to keep their mouths shut./ •/Charles began to tell Barry how to kick the ball, and Barry said angrily, "Keep your mouth shut!"/ Syn.: SHUT UP(1).

[keep one’s nose clean]{v. phr.}, {slang} To stay out of trouble; do only what you should do. •/The boss said Jim could have the job as long as he kept his nose clean and worked hard./ •/The policeman warned the boys to keep their noses clean unless they wanted to go to jail./ Compare: STEER CLEAR OF(2).

[keep one’s nose to the grindstone] or [have one’s nose to the grindstone] or [hold one’s nose to the grindstone] {v. phr.}, {informal} To work hard all the time; keep busy with boring or tiresome work. •/Sarah keeps her nose to the grindstone and saves as much as possible to start her own business./

[keep one’s own counsel]{v. phr.}, {formal} To keep your ideas and plans to yourself. •/John listened to what everyone had to say in the discussion, but he kept his own counsel./ •/Although everybody gave Mrs. O’Connor advice about what to do with her house, she kept her own counsel./

[keep one’s shirt on]{v. phr.}, {slang} To calm down; keep from losing your temper or getting impatient or excited. •/Bob got very angry when John accidentally bumped into him, but John told him to keep his shirt on./ — Usually used as a command; may be considered impolite. •/John said to Bob, "Keep your shirt on."/ Contrast: GET ONE’S DANDER UP.

[keep one’s temper] See: HOLD ONE’S TEMPER.

[keep one’s weather eye open] See: WEATHER EYE.

[keep one’s wits about one] See: KEEP ONE’S HEAD.

[keep one’s word]{v. phr.} To do what one has promised; fulfill one’s promise. •/Paul kept his word and paid me the $250 that he owed me right on time./

[keep on the good side of] See: ON ONE’S GOOD SIDE.

[keep open house]{v. phr.} To offer hospitality and entertain those who come at any given time on a certain day or afternoon. •/Beth and Charlie have a cottage by the lake where they keep open house on Saturday afternoons during the summer./

[keep out (of)]{v. phr.} 1. To stay out; remain out of. •/The sign on the fence said, "Danger! Keep out!"/ 2. To stave off; not allow in. •/The border patrol near El Paso, Texas, is trying to keep illegal immigrants out of the United States./

[keep pace]{v. phr.} To go as fast; go at the same rate; not get behind. •/When they go for a walk, Johnny has to take long steps to keep pace with his father./ •/When Billy was moved to a more advanced class, he had to work hard to keep pace./ Compare: KEEP UP(2a).

[keep plugging along]{v. phr.}, {informal} To continue to work diligently and with great effort, often against hardship. •/Bob was not particularly talented but he kept plugging along year after year, and eventually became vice president./

[keeps] See: FOR KEEPS.

[keep step with]{v. phr.} To maintain the same degree of progress as someone else. •/The United States has no choice but to keep step with potential enemies in terms of modern defense systems./

[keep tab on] or [keep tabs on] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To keep a record of. •/The government tries to keep tabs on all the animals in the park./ 2. To keep a watch on; check. •/The house mother kept tabs on the girls to be sure they were clean and neat./ Compare: KEEP TRACK OF.

[keep the ball rolling]{v. phr.}, {informal} To keep up an activity or action; not allow something that is happening to slow or stop. •/Clyde kept the ball rolling at the party by dancing with a lamp shade on his head./ Compare: GET THE BALL ROLLING.

[keep the faith]{v. phr.} To not abandon hope; stay committed to the cause of democracy and racial equality. •/"Keep the faith, Baby," my neighbor said as he raised his fingers to show the "V" for victory sign./

[keep the home fires burning]{v. phr.} To keep things going as usual while someone is away; wait at home to welcome someone back. •/While John was in the army, Mary kept the home fires burning./

[keep the wolf (wolves) from the door]{v. phr.} To avoid hunger, poverty, and/or creditors. •/"I don’t like my job," Mike complained, "but I must do something to keep the wolves from the door."/ Compare: KEEP BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER.

[keep things humming]{v. phr.} To cause thing to perform smoothly and efficiently. •/Until Mr. Long joined our computer center, we had all sorts of problems, but he has corrected them and really keeps things humming./

[keep time]{v. phr.} 1. To show the right time. •/My watch has not kept good time since I dropped it./ 2. To keep the beat; keep the same rhythm; keep in step. •/Many people are surprised at how well deaf people keep time with the music when they dance./

[keep to oneself] See: TO ONESELF(2).

[keep track]{v. phr.} To know about changes; stay informed or up-to-date; keep a count or record. •/What day of the week is it? I can’t keep track./ — Usually used with "of". •/Mr. Stevens kept track of his business by telephone when he was in the hospital./ •/The farmer has so many chickens, he can hardly keep track of them all./ Compare: IN TOUCH, KEEP UP(3). Contrast: LOSE TRACK.

[keep under one’s hat]{v. phr.}, {informal} To keep secret; not tell. •/Mr. Jones knew who had won the contest, but he kept it under his hat until it was announced publicly./ — Often used as a command. •/Keep it under your hat./ Syn.: KEEP TO ONESELF.

[keep up]{v.} 1a. To go on; not stop; continue. •/The rain kept up for two days and the roads were flooded./ Compare: KEEP ON. 1b. To go on with (something); continue steadily; never stop. •/Mrs. Smith told John to keep up the good work./ •/The teacher asked Dick to stop bothering Mary, but he kept it up./ Compare: KEEP AT. 2a. To go at the same rate as others. •/John had to work hard to keep up./ •/Billy was the youngest boy on the hike, but he kept up with the others./ Compare: CATCH UP, KEEP PACE. Contrast: FALL BEHIND, GET BEHIND(1). 2b. To keep (something) at the same level or rate or in good condition. •/The shortage of tomatoes kept the prices up./ •/Grandfather was too poor to keep up his house./ 3. To keep informed. — Usually used with "on" or "with". •/Mary is interested in politics and always keeps up with the news./ Compare: KEEP TRACK.

[keep up appearances]{v. phr.} To maintain an outward show of prosperity in spite of financial problems. •/Mr. Smith’s widow had a hard time keeping up appearances after her husband’s death./

[keep up one’s end] See: HOLD ONE’S END UP.

[keep up with] See: KEEP STEP WITH, KEEP ABREAST OF.

[keep up with the Joneses]{v. phr.} To follow the latest fashion; try to be equal with your neighbors. •/Mrs. Smith kept buying every new thing that was advertised, finally Mr. Smith told her to stop trying to keep up with the Joneses and to start thinking for herself./

[keep watch]{v. phr.} To be vigilant; be alert; guard. •/The police have asked the neighborhood to keep watch against an escaped convict./

[keep your fingers crossed] See: CROSS ONE’S FINGERS.

[kettle] See: KETTLE OF FISH, POT CALLS THE KETTLE BLACK.

[kettle of fish]{v. phr.}, {informal} Something to be considered; how things are; a happening; business. •/I thought he needed money, but it was another kettle of fish — his car had disappeared./ — Usually used with "pretty", "fine", "nice", but meaning bad trouble. •/He had two flat tires and no spare on a country road at night, which was certainly a pretty kettle of fish./ •/This is a fine kettle of fish! I forgot my book./ Compare: CUP OP TEA(2).

[key] See: LOW KEY, OFF-KEY.

[keyed up]{adj.}, {informal} Excited; nervous; anxious to do something. •/Mary was all keyed up about the exam./ •/Mother would not let Tom read a ghost story at bedtime; she said it would get him keyed up./

[kick about] See: KICK AROUND(3).

[kick against the pricks]{v. phr.}, {literary} To fight against rules or authority in a way that just hurts yourself. •/Johnny kicked against the pricks in his foster home until he learned that he could trust his new family./

[kick around]{v.}, {informal} 1. To act roughly or badly to; treat badly; bully. •/John likes to kick around the little boys./ •/Mr. Jones is always kicking his dog around./ Syn.: PUSH AROUND. 2. To lie around or in a place; be treated carelessly; be neglected. •/This old coat has been kicking around the closet for years./ •/The letter kicked around on my desk for days./ 3. {slang} To talk easily or carelessly back and forth about; examine in a careless or easy-going way. •/Bob and I kicked around the idea of going swimming, but it was hot and we were too lazy./ Compare: TRY OUT, TALK OVER. 4. To move about often; go from one job or place to another; become experienced. •/Harry has kicked around all over the world as a merchant seaman./ Compare: HAS BEEN AROUND.

[kick back]{v.}, {slang}, {informal} To pay money illegally for favorable contract arrangements. •/I will do it if you kick back a few hundred for my firm./

[kickback]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} Money paid illegally for favorable treatment. •/He was arrested for making kickback payments./