Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[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. /