phr. earn one's keep 1. 谋生，挣饭吃
Now he can just earn his keep working in a mine. 现在他在一家矿井干活，所得仅够糊口。
For the first time in many years, this country is earning its keep. 这个国家多年来第一次能够自给了。
2. 值得雇用；值得豢养
Mary thought her servant didn't earn his keep. 玛丽认为她的仆人(工作太差)不值得雇用。
for keeps1. 归赢者所得
The two men were playing the game for keeps. 两个男子在玩赌输赢的游戏。
2. 认真地，当真地
His rival was not fooling but competing with him for keeps. 他的对手不是在跟他闹着玩儿，而是一本正经地跟他竞争。
3. 〈口〉持久地，永久地；完全地；终于
He came home for keeps. 他回家来，再也不走了。
I'm through with him for keeps. 我和他一刀两断了。
settle a dispute for keeps 一劳永逸地解决争端
in good keep (尤指马)豢养得好：
The horses appear to be in good keep. 这些马看上去膘肥体壮。
in low keep (尤指马)豢养得不好
keep after 〈口〉
1. 一再要求；不断提醒
I kept after him and later on he agreed. 我向他一再要求，后来他同意了。
Mother kept after me for not getting enough sleep. 妈妈老是提醒我，说我睡眠不足。
2. 不断追求；紧紧追赶
The police kept after the bandits until they were finally caught.警方对匪徒紧追不舍，直到把他们捕获。
keep ahead 领先
keep ahead of one's rivals 超过对手
keep ahead of the competition 在竞赛中领先
keep at 1. 继续做，坚持干
The only way to get your thesis written is to keep at it, day by day. 你要写成这篇论文，唯一的办法是日复一日地坚持写下去。
He keeps at his diet faithfully. 他不折不扣地坚持按规定食谱进食。
2. 使(某人)继续做；使(某人)坚持干
The teacher kept his students at their studies even on weekends. 教师要他的学生在周末也坚持学习。
3. 对…不断施加压力；缠住(某人)不放；硬要
His wife kept at him not to smoke (drink). 他妻子缠着他要他别抽烟(喝酒)。
keep away (使)不靠近，(使)离开
The spectators have to keep away. 旁观者不得靠近。
Children should be kept away from the river. 不可让孩子们接近河边。
He kept away from liquor and tobacco. 他烟酒不沾。
Keep away from that woman or you'll regret it. 离那女人远点，不然你要后悔的。
Would you keep that dog away? 把那条狗牵走好吗?
keep back1. 留在远处，不前进；(使)不靠近
Keep back! 离开些!(或：别向前!)
The policemen kept the spectators back from the President. 警察不让围观群众靠近总统。
2. 阻止，抑制；妨碍
She made an effort to keep back her tears. 她竭力忍住泪水。
I don't want to keep you back (from your work). 我不想(在工作上)拖你的后腿。
The boy was kept back in the fourth grade. 男孩在四年级时留级。
3. 隐瞒
She told us most of the story but kept back the bit about herself. 她把事情差不多都告诉了我们，但隐瞒了关于她自己的那部分。
You are keeping something back from us. 你对我们瞒了一些事情。
4. 扣下，不给
National Insurance keeps back five percent of my wages. 国民保险扣去我工资的5%。
5. 保留，留出
keep rare items back for customers who would pay the best prices 把紧俏商品留给肯出大价钱的主顾们
keep down1. 压制，压服；镇压
You can't keep a good man (或 woman) down. 有能耐的人什么困难也压不倒。
The military government tried to keep down the rebels. 军政府试图镇压叛军。
2. 压缩；控制；限制
keep down spending 压缩开支
keep prices down 控制物价
keep down one's anger 制怒
do exercise to keep down weight 锻炼身体以减轻体重
3. 除去；杀灭；使不繁殖(或不生长)
Hoe the garden to keep down the weeds. 在花园里锄锄草，以防杂草蔓生。
chemicals to keep insects down 灭虫的化学剂
4. (使)变柔和；(使)减轻；(使)缓和
keep down a light 把光线弄暗些
I wish you two would keep your voices down. 我希望你俩把嗓门放低些。
The wind kept down for a while. 风停息了片刻。
5. 不使升起；匍匐，蹲下
Keep your arms down by your side. 把两臂放在身旁不要举起。
Keep down and don't make a sound! 蹲下，别作声!
Keep down or you'll bang your head on the bridge. 弯下身，不然你的头要撞上桥了。
6. 咽下，吞下；不使(胃中食物)吐出
I can't keep these powders down at all. 这些药粉我实在咽不下去。
The patient couldn't keep anything down. 病人吃什么吐什么。
7. 将(学生)留一级
8. 【印】用小写活字排印(或留空)
keep from 1. 避开；阻止，防止
He keeps from alcohol and tobacco. 他烟酒不沾。
2. 克制，抑制
I can't keep from laughing. 我忍不住大笑。
keep going (使)维持下去；(使)不停顿地继续进行
The mines could keep going only if costs were pared to the bone. 只有将开支缩减到最低限度，这些矿才能维持下去。
They somehow kept his lungs going until the doctor came. 他们设法在医生来到前不让他停止呼吸。
keep in 1. 留在里面，留在屋内，不外出
It's best to keep in while the temperature is below zero. 气温在零度以下时最好呆在屋里。
2. 继续燃烧， 不熄灭
Will the fire keep in until we get back?炉火能烧到我们回来的时候吗?
3. 把…关晚学，罚…课后留校
keep misbehaving pupils in after class把过失学生课后关晚学
4. 控制
He tried to keep his emotions in.他力图控制自己的感情。
5. 走在(或驾车行驶在)路边
Keep in! You'll be run over if you don't watch it!走边上!不当心你会给车撞着的!
6. 【印】(活字)排紧
keep in with 与…友好相处；不得罪，不冒犯；取得…的欢心
keep it up1. 不松劲；保持成绩；继续下去
If only he could keep it up, he would break the world record. 只要他坚持不懈，他是能够打破世界纪录的。
Keep it up and you are going to jail. 你再这样下去，会坐牢的。
2. 狂欢作乐
keep off1. (使)让开；(使)不接近；挡开
Danger! Keep off! 危险!别靠近!
Draw the curtain to keep the sun off. 拉上窗帘遮住阳光。
2. (使)不来；(使)不发生
If the rain keeps off, we shall go out. 如果不下雨，我们就出去。
3. 不吃(食品、药物等)
John keeps off drink. 约翰不喝酒。
4. 不提，避开
The negotiators kept off the religious issue. 谈判代表们避开了宗教问题。
keep on1. (使)继续下去，(使)不停
Prices keep on increasing. 物价不停地上涨。
keep on talking 讲个不停
keep one's radio on 让收音机一直开着
2. 继续前行
Keep on till you reach Broadway, then turn right.一直向前走到百老汇大街，然后向右拐。
3. 穿(或戴)着…不脱下
Keep that dress on, you look beautiful in it.就穿着那套衣裙吧，你穿着它显得很美。
4. 继续雇用，继续留用
The Prime Minister keeps him on as a consultant.首相继续留用他当顾问。
5. 继续拥有，保留
I'll keep the flat on through the summer.整个夏天我将继续租用那套公寓。
6. 坚持下去
Despite all setbacks, he keeps on. 尽管遇到种种挫折，他仍坚持下去。
keep on about 就…喋喋不休；在…上纠缠不休
keep on at 1. 对…纠缠不休；不断催促，不停地困扰；对…责骂不休
Don't keep on at me the whole time. 不要老是对我唠叨啦。
2. 留在(某地)，不迁离(某处)；继续雇用(某人)
keep oneself to oneself 事不关己不过问；不与人交往
They had kept themselves to themselves ever since they had come here. 他们自从搬来此地以后，从来不与别人交往。
keep out 1. (使)留在外面，(使)不进入
wear a highnecked pullover to keep out the wind 穿一件高领套衫以御风寒
Keep out! 20000 volts. 20000伏高压线，不可靠近!
Private property. Keep out. 私人产业，不得入内。
2. 保留，留出
keep out of 1. = keep out
2. 不参加；不卷入
Keep out of what doesn't concern you. 不关你的事不要插手。
keep sb. going 使某人能维持生计；使某人能维持某种状态
My dad's salary is barely enough to keep us going. 父亲的工资仅够我们糊口。
The doctors managed to keep me going. 医生们设法让我活下来了。
keep to1. 遵守，信守；不背离，不离开
keep to the original purpose 遵守原定宗旨
keep to one's promise 信守自己的诺言
Keep to the point, please. 请勿离题。
2. 坚持
Keep to your task till you've finished. 望你坚持工作，直到完成为止。
3. 留在(某处)，不离开(某地)；局限于
She kept to her bed because of a fever. 她因发烧卧病在床。
He kept to the mainroads in his travels. 他旅行时总是走大路。
keep together1. (使)在一起
2. (使)协调一致；(使)团结
The eight men kept together throughout the race as though they were one. 在整个跑步比赛中8个人配合协调如同一人。
He hopes to keep the family together. 他希望家庭团圆和睦。
keep to oneself1. 不与人交往
She kept to herself in the ship and would speak to no one. 她在船上一人独处，不与任何人交谈。
2. 对…秘而不宣，不把…讲出来
Don't keep it to yourself, we need your knowledge and experience. 别保守了，我们需要你的知识和经验。
keep under1. (使)留在下面
The escaping prisoner, swimming across the river, managed to keep under as the searchlight raked the surface. 当探照灯扫过水面时，泅水过河的逃犯潜入水中。
2. 控制，压制，约束
We tried to keep the fire under. 我们力图控制住火势。
The boy needs keeping under. 那男孩需严加管教。
The dictator had kept his people under for 50 years. 人民被那个独裁者欺压了50年。
3. 使失去知觉；使处于麻木状态
The patient was kept under with a mixture of morphine and chloroform. 病人用了吗啡和氯仿混合剂，现已麻醉。
keep up1. (使)继续下去，(使)不停止
Rain kept up all night. 雨下了一整夜。
The weather is beautiful, but it's not supposed to keep up! 天气晴好，但怕不能维持下去!
keep up the attacks on enemy strongholds 持续不断攻打敌人据点
Please keep up my subscription to the magazine. 请为我续订那份杂志。
2. 坚持；保持
keep up a correspondence 保持通信联系
Splendid! Keep up the good work! 好极了!继续好好干!
3. (使)保持良好状态
He keeps his credit up by paying his bills regularly. 他按期付账保持良好信用。
Keep up your French. 不要荒废了你的法语。
The mansion was too expensive to keep up. 要保养这幢大厦所需费用太大了。
4. 不落后，并驾齐驱
The younger boys were not able to keep up in the race. 年龄较小的男孩在比赛中跟不上。
5. (使)不下降；(使)浮起；(使)不倒下
wear suspenders to keep one's trousers up 用背带吊住裤子
The cost of raw materials keeps up. 原料价格坚挺。
The surviving sailors managed to keep up until the life boat came. 幸存的水手们努力设法浮在水面，直到救生艇来到。
6. (士气等)保持高昂
Her spirits have kept up very well despite all her bad luck. 虽然遭到种种厄运，但她仍毫不气馁。
7. (使)熬夜
A: I hope I'm not keeping you up. B: No, we often keep up late. 甲：我希望没有害得你们熬夜。乙：不，我们经常睡得很晚。
keep up with1. 跟上(人、潮流、形势等)
keep up with the predecessors 跟上前辈(的成就)
My salary doesn't keep up with inflation. 我的工资跟不上通货膨胀。
He hired a tutor because he wasn't able to keep up with the rest of the class. 他请了位家庭教师，因为他的功课跟不上班上其他同学。
keep up with the latest developments 跟上最新发展
keep up with current events 对时事消息灵通
2. 保持联系
He keeps up with his colleagues even after his retirement. 他在退休后仍和同事们保持联系。
you can keep it 〈口〉你自己留着吧；我才不想要呢，我才不希罕呢
A: My hobby's writing plays. B: You can keep it. 甲：我的业余消遣是写剧本。乙：那你去写你的吧。(或：我可一点也不喜欢。)