keep
To stay put or keep on doing something.
Also called keep on.
Updated September 24, 2026
keep pronunciation
/KEEP/
Meaning
In everyday farm and porch talk, keep often means continue or remain. "Keep still" means stay quiet. "Keep on" means don't quit. "He kept a-working" means he stayed at it. Same root word as standard English keep, just leaned hard toward staying and continuing.
How folks use it
- “You keep right there and I'll fetch the wrench.”
- “He kept on tinkering with that carburetor till dark.”
Origin and etymology
Old English keep for hold, tend, and continue. Southern and Appalachian speech kept the continue/stay senses close to the surface, especially in "keep on" and older "keep a-" forms before a verb. Linguists studying a-prefixing in Appalachia note keep as a common partner in lines like "I kept a-working."
Frequently asked questions
Does keep also mean food won't spoil?
Yes, that is another Southern use ("it'll keep"), but this entry is about staying or continuing.