from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Keep \Keep\, n.
1. The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed;
charge. --Chaucer.
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Pan, thou god of shepherds all,
Which of our tender lambkins takest keep. --Spenser.
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2. The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition;
case; as, to be in good keep.
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3. The means or provisions by which one is kept; maintenance;
support; as, the keep of a horse.
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Grass equal to the keep of seven cows. --Carlyle.
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I performed some services to the college in return
for my keep. --T. Hughes.
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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 dungeon. See
Illust. of {Castle}.
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The prison strong,
Within whose keep the captive knights were laid.
--Dryden.
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The lower chambers of those gloomy keeps. --Hallam.
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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.
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5. That which is kept in charge; a charge. [Obs.]
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Often he used of his keep
A sacrifice to bring. --Spenser.
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6. (Mach.) A cap for retaining anything, as a journal box, in
place.
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{To take keep}, to take care; to heed. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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