(1)保持某种状态(be or stay in a certain position or condition)[L+adj，I+prep，I+adv]：～busy/calm (fine/silent) 保持忙碌/镇静(优秀/沉默);～inside the house during the cold weather 天气寒冷时待在室内;K～off the grass!勿踏草地!Traffic in China～s to the right. 在中国车辆靠右行驶。K～back there.The dog is very dangerous.不要往前走。那狗太危险。
 (2)使继续处于某种状态(cause to continue in a certain position or condition)[T+n+prep，T+n+adv，C+n+adj，C+n+ing]：～sb in custody/a state of suspense 拘留某人/使某人处于悬念中;～one's things in order 把自己的东西放得整整齐齐;K～your nose out of my affairs.我的事你不要管。have difficulty in～ing body and soul together 很难糊口;～sb amused/cheerful 使某人快乐/高兴;～sb afloat despite the waves尽管有风浪也能使人漂着;～one's eyes open 睁着眼睛;The doctor kept him alive by a blood transfusion. 医生给他输了血使他病情稳定。I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. 对不起，让你久等了。K～the fire burning . 别让火灭了。
 (3)老是(不断)做某事(go on(performing or repeating a certain action))[T+ing，I+adv(on)]：K～smiling/going!保持笑容/一直往前走!～interrupting sb 老是插嘴打断某人;The prices～falling.物价持续下跌。～on making the same mistake/wiping one's eyes with the back of one's hand 总是犯同样的错误/用手背擦眼睛;
 (4)保留(存，有)(have for a very long or indefinite period of time;retain)[T+n，T+n+prep(for)，D+n+n]～locks of one's friend's hair/one's sense of humour 保留几绺朋友的头发/幽默感;K～the change. 零钱不用找了。K～your distance!保持距离!～a seat/a place in the queue for sb 为某人留个座位/在排队时为某人占个地儿;
 (5)存放，保管，储藏(have or make sth stay in a particular place or position;store)[T+n，T+n+prep]：～all one's letters 保存自己所有的信件;～one's car in a garage 把车停在车库里;～one's licence in a safe place 把驾照放在安全的地方;have not enough shelves to～all one's books on 没有足够的书架放下所有的书;a camera that you can～in your pocket 能放在口袋里的照相机;～a can of baked beans for emergencies 为紧急情况储备一听烘豆;〖同〗hold，store，deposit，heap，pile;
 (6)照看(料)(look after or care for)[T+n，T+n+prep(for)， D+n+n]：～a garden/sb's coat and hat 照看花园/某人的衣帽;～one's niece 照料自己的侄子;～house for sb 为某人料理家务;〖同〗care for，take care of，look after，mind;
 (7)经营，管理(own and manage)[T+n]：～a hairdresser's shop/dry-goods store/small hotel 经营一家美发厅/服装店/小旅店;
 (8)经售(销)，备有(have a supply of sth for sale or in stock)[T+n]：～sausage/buttons/postcards 备有香肠/钮扣/明信片;
 (9)供(赡)养(provide food，clothes，housing for sb;support financially)[T+n]：～one's niece/one's wife and children/oneself and one's family 供养侄女/妻子和孩子们/自己和家庭;～a mistress in Chelsea 在切尔西养了一个情妇;～a large family on a small income 用微薄的收入供养一大家人;〖同〗support，maintain，sustain;
 (10)饲养(raise and feed birds or animals)[T+n]：～bees/ducks/geese 养蜜蜂/鸭子/鹅;～hens on one's farm 在自己的农场饲养母鸡;
 (11)保持不坏，保鲜(stay fresh or unspoiled)[I]：Vegetables/Milk won't～long.蔬菜/牛奶不能长时间保鲜。Will this meat/food～until tomorrow?这肉/食物能保存到明天不坏吗?
 (12)遵(保)守，履行(act in the way demanded by)[T+n]：～a promise/an appointment/a treaty 遵守诺言/守约/恪守条约;～the law 遵守法律;
 (13)记，写(make current entries in)[T+n]：～a diary/a record 写日记/作记录;～the accounts (for a club)(为一家俱乐部)记账;
 (14)庆祝(celebrate)[T+n]：～Christmas/one's birthday 过圣诞节/生日;～the Sabbath守安息日;〖同〗observe，hold，celebrate，honour;
 (15)耽搁(误)(hold back or delay)[T+n]：Sorry to～you. 抱歉耽误你了。I wonder what is～ing her. 我真想知道什么事情使她耽搁住了。
 (16)保护(佑)，防(把)守(guard or protect)[T+n，T+n+prep(from)]：～goal/wicket 守(足球)门/(板球)三柱门;pray to God to～sb from harm 乞求上帝保佑某人免受伤害;
 (17)保持健康(be in the specified or stated condition of health)[I]：How are you/is your father～ing? 你/你父亲现在身体好吗? I'm～ing well. 我身体很好。
 keep it up 保持成绩;继续下去： If only she could～it up，she would break the world record.只要她保持这成绩，她是能打破世界记录的。
 keep (sb) at sth 坚持不懈地做：If you～hard at your work，you'll soon have the job finished. 如果你继续努力地干下去，不久就能完成这项工作。She kept at me for a year to buy her a new coat，until in the end I agreed，just so as to have some peace from her. 一年来她不断地要我给她买件新上衣，直到我同意了她才平静下来。
 keep(sb/sth)away from(使)不靠近，(使)离开：Children should be kept away from the river.不可让孩子们靠近那条河。
 keep back (v adv) 1)扣下，不给(vt)：They kept back $3 a month from my salary for National Insurance. 他们每月从我的工资中扣下三美元作为国民保险。2)阻止，抑制(vt)：She made an effort to～back her tears. 她强忍住泪水。3)隐瞒(vt)：I'll～nothing back from you. 我什么也不会向你隐瞒。4)阻挡，使不往前(vt)：The men built banks of earth to～back the rising flood waters.人们建了土堤以阻挡不断上涨的洪水。
 keep down (v adv) 1)使不增加(vt)：～down wages/prices 不提高工资/ 价格;～down one's anger制怒;do exercises to～down weight 锻炼身体以减轻体重; 2)阻止繁殖或生长(vt)：We hoe the garden to～down the weeds.我们在花园中锄地，以防杂草蔓生。3)忍着不吐出(vt)：The patient couldn't～any thing down.病人吃什么吐什么。4)蹲下(vi)：K～down and don't make a sound!蹲下，别出声!K～your hand down.放下手。5)压制(vt)：The military government tried to～down the revolutionaries.军政府试图镇压革命者。
 keep ... from(doing)sth 阻(防)止：The noise～s her from sleeping.噪声使她不能入睡。He～s from alcohol and tobacco.他烟酒不沾。
 keep sth from sb 隐瞒：I thought it best to～the bad news from her.我认为最好别告诉她这个坏消息。
 keep in (v adv) 1)留校(vt)：Jennie was late home from school because the whole class had been kept in for bad behaviour. 珍妮放学回家晚是因为她班上的全体同学表现欠佳都被留校了。2)控制(vt)： He was very angry but was able to～it in and speak to her pleasantly. 虽然他很生气，但还能控制着心平气和地对她讲话。
 keep in (v prep)供给(vt)：She doesn't earn enough to～herself in leather shoe.她赚的钱不够买皮鞋的。
 keep in with (v adv prep)与……熟，近(vt)(infml)：He kept in with his manager.他讨好经理。
 keep off (v adv) 1)不发生(vi)：If the rain～s off，we shall go out.如果不下雨，我们就出去。2)避开(不碰到)(vi)：A notice was placed on the dangerously thin ice，warning people to～off.危险的薄冰处放置了一块告示牌，警告人们不要靠近。3)不吃(喝，吸)：John～s off drink.约翰不喝酒。
 keep sb/sth off (sb/sth)(使)不靠近(碰到)： K～your dirty hands off (me)!你的脏手别碰我!
 keep on (v adv) 1)继续(穿戴)，租用(vt)：It's rude for a man to～his hat on indoors 对一位男士来讲，室内戴帽子是不礼貌的。～a room on 继续租用房间;2)继续花用(vt)：The new owner kept Tom on as a gardener. 新主人继续留用汤姆做花匠。3)继续前进(vi)：K～on until you reach the traffic lights. Then turn left. 一直向前走到交通灯，然后向左拐。4)老是(不断地)做(vt)：She kept on making the same mistake.她总是犯相同的错误。
 keep on at/about (v adv prep)对 …… 喋喋不休;唠叨(vt)：I wish she wouldn't～on about her ailments. 我希望她不要没完没了地谈她那点小病。Don't～on at me the whole time.不要老是对我唠叨个没完。
 keep out (v adv)(使)留在外面，使不能进入(vt)：They have shut the door and mean to～us out.他们已经关上了门，意味着不让我们进去。
 keep (sb) out of 不牵涉进去： I～out of his troubles.我没有卷进他的麻烦中。I hope you'll～him out of trouble while I'm away. 我希望我不在的时候你能使他不要惹上麻烦。
 keep to (v prep) 1)遵守(循)(vt)：He always～s to his promises 他总是遵守自己的诺言。Having once made a plan，you should～to it. 一旦制订了计划，就应执行。2)坚持(vt)：K～to your task till you've finished it. 坚持工作，直到完成为止。3)停(逗)留(vt)：When Mary is in a bad temper，she～s to her room all day.当玛丽心情不好时，她就整天把自己关在房间里。
 keep oneself/sth to oneself 不与人交往;保守秘密(vt)：Nobody really knows what Mary thinks about anything，she～s (herself)to herself most of the time，and rarely expresses an opinion. 没人知道玛丽究竟在想什么，因为大部分时间她喜欢独处，极少表达意见。Don't～the news to yourself，let's all share it. 别密而不宣了，让我们也知道那消息吧。
 keep under(v adv) 1)控(压)制(vt)：We tried to～the fire under. 我们力图控制住火势。2)压迫(vt)：The dictator had kept his people under for 30 years. 人们被那个独裁者压迫了30年。
 keep up (v adv) 1)持续(vi)：If this storm～s up，the crops will be destroyed.如果暴风雨继续下去，农作物将被毁。2)坚(保)持(vt)：They～up the habit of visiting old friends.他们保持着探访老朋友的习惯。3)(使)熬夜(vt & vi)：I hope I'm not～ing you up. No，we often～up late. 我希望没有害得你们熬夜。没有，我们经常睡得很晚。4)保养，维护(vt)：His grandfather was too poor to～up his house.他的祖父穷得无力维修自己的房子。We are very anxious to～up the reputation of the firm.我们急于维护公司的名声。
 keep up with (v adv prep) 1)跟上(vt)：She had to run to～up with him. 她不得不跑步跟上他。We must～up with the times. 我们必须跟上时代的步伐。2)保持联系(vt)：Do you still～up with Tom and Jack? 你依然和汤姆与杰克保持联系吗? 3)了解(vt)：Julie likes to～up with the latest fashions. 朱丽叶喜欢了解最新的服装款式。
 →′keeper n 看守(管理)人;经营者′keeping n 保管;一致;庆祝;′keepsake n 纪念品;
 【辨异】keep与reserve和retain 均可表示“保持”，“保留”。keep为常用词，如：He would not be able to keep his job.(他恐怕保不住他那份工作了)。reserve 指保留，以待后用，如：They'll reserve the ticket for you till tomorrow noon.(票子给你保留到明天中午)。retain 较为正式，着重于继续保持，特指保持不失去或不放弃，如：I retain the right to make my own decisions.(我保留独自决定的权利。)