keep
(=retain) conserver, garder
Make sure you always keep your receipts. Assurez-vous de toujours conserver vos reçus., Assurez-vous de toujours garder vos reçus.
She would probably not be able to keep her job. Elle ne parviendrait probablement pas à conserver son travail., Elle ne parviendrait probablement pas à garder son travail.
You can keep it. Tu peux le garder.
(=store) ranger
→ Keep your card in a safe place.
→ The rubbish is kept in the basement.
[+head, hand, foot, eyes] garder
→ He wore a dark parka and kept one hand in his pocket.
→ keeping the head facing forwards
He kept his hands in his pockets. Il gardait ses mains dans ses poches.
I kept my eyes closed. Je gardais les yeux fermés.
I kept my eyes on the ground. Je gardais les yeux fixés sur le sol.
(=delay) retenir
What kept you? Qu'est-ce qui t'as retenu?
[+shop] tenir
My aunt kept a sweetshop. Ma tante tient une confiserie.
[+diary] tenir
→ As a young girl I used to keep a diary.
to keep a record of sth enregistrer qch
We keep a record of the totals. Nous enregistrons les totaux.
→ We keep a record of the noise-levels produced by the machines.
(=feed)
[+one's family] faire vivre, assurer la subsistance de
He doesn't earn enough to keep his family. Il ne gagne pas assez pour faire vivre sa famille.
to keep o.s. assurer sa propre subsistance
He earns just enough to keep himself and his children. Il gagne juste assez pour assurer sa propre subsistance et celle de ses enfants.
[+promise] tenir
I always keep my promises je tiens toujours mes promesses
to keep one's word tenir parole
I always keep my word je tiens toujours parole
to keep an appointment être présent à un rendez-vous, venir à un rendez-vous
I won't be able to keep my appointment for this afternoon. Je ne pourrai pas être présent à notre rendez-vous de cet après-midi., Je ne pourrai pas venir à notre rendez-vous de cet après-midi.
[+secret] garder
Can you keep a secret? Peux-tu garder un secret?
to keep sth to o.s. garder qch pour soi
Keep this to yourself. Garde ça pour toi.
Keep it to yourself, it's meant to be a surprise. Garde ça pour toi, c'est censé être une surprise.
to keep sth from sb cacher qch à qn
to keep o.s. to o.s.
(=isolate o.s.)
[loner] rechercher la solitude
[+chickens, bees, pigs] élever
→ It would be nice to keep bees.
(with adjectives)
maintenir
We must keep the cable taut. Nous devons maintenir le câble tendu.
→ Try to keep expenses as low as possible.
Keep your back straight. Tiens-toi droit.
to keep a place clean maintenir un endroit propre
to keep a room tidy maintenir une pièce en ordre
→ Try and keep the kitchen tidy while I'm gone.
to keep sth to a minimum réduire qch au minimum
Keep costs to a minimum. Réduisez les coûts au minimum., Maintenez les coûts au plus bas.
to keep sb happy
(=please) faire plaisir à qn
→ He bought her a new fur coat to keep her happy.
→ he was just saying that to keep me happy.
(with gerund)
to keep sb waiting faire attendre qn
Sorry to have kept you waiting. Désolé de vous avoir fait attendre.
(=prevent)
to keep sb/sth from doing sth empêcher qn/qch de faire qch
→ Can't you keep your children from stealing my apples?
→ Can't you keep your dog from messing on my front path?
to keep sth from happening empêcher que qch n'arrive, empêcher que qch arrive
to keep sth from happening again empêcher que qch ne se reproduise, empêcher que qch se reproduise
Maybe that will help us to keep it from happening again. Voilà qui nous aidera peut-être à empêcher que cela ne se reproduise.
to keep good time
[clock, watch] être juste
→ This watch doesn't keep very good time, I'm taking it back.
[food] se conserver
→ Fish doesn't keep well, even in the fridge.
→ Homemade muesli keeps for ages.
(=remain) (in a certain state or place)
rester
Keep still! Reste tranquille!
Keep quiet! Tais-toi!
to keep warm se réchauffer
It's not always easy to keep warm. Ce n'est pas toujours facile de se réchauffer.
to keep busy s'occuper
I prefer to keep busy. Je préfère m'occuper.
how are you keeping?
(=how are you) comment tu te portes?
→ Nice to see you again - how have you been keeping?
to keep doing sth
(=continue) continuer à faire qch
Keep walking until you come to the bridge. Continuez à marcher jusqu'à ce que vous arriviez au pont.
(=do time after time) faire qch tout le temps
I keep forgetting my keys. J'oublie tout le temps mes clés.
I keep making the same mistake. Je fais tout le temps la même erreur.
(=be unable to stop)
Since I read it, I keep thinking about it. Depuis que je l'ai lu, je n'arrête pas d'y penser.
to keep going
(=persevere) continuer à aller de l'avant
→ the rhythm of music helps people to keep going when they are getting tired
The only way you keep going is to develop the right frame of mind. La seule façon de continuer à aller de l'avant est d'adopter le bon état d'esprit.
to keep from doing sth
(=prevent o.s.) s'empêcher de faire qch
She bit her lip to keep from crying. Elle se mordit la lèvre pour s'empêcher de pleurer.
→ He had to lean on Dan to keep from falling.
[+castle] donjon m
→ a four-sided medieval keep
(=food) enough for his keep assez pour (assurer) sa subsistance I need to give my parents money for my keep. Je dois donner à mes parents une participation aux frais de nourriture.
▲
keep at
vt
to keep at it
(=continue trying) persévérer
It may take a number of attempts, but it is worth keeping at it. Plusieurs tentatives seront peut-être nécessaires mais cela vaut la peine de persévérer.
→ We must keep at it.
→ The prime minister wouldn't keep at it unless he thought it was worth it
▲
keep away
[+visitors, tourists] faire fuir, éloigner
The rain is keeping visitors away. La pluie fait fuir les touristes.
to keep sb away from sth [+place] éloigner qn de qch
It's impossible to keep fans away from the flat. Il est impossible d'éloigner les fans de l'appartement.
[+pest, danger] éloigner, maintenir à l'écart
an electrical field to keep sharks away un champ électrique pour éloigner les requins, un champ électrique pour maintenir les requins à l'écart
to keep sb away from sth [+danger, drugs, temptation] tenir qn à l'écart de qch
→ it is advisable to keep your child away from fire and flames
→ That'll keep people away from your germs
to keep sb away from sb [+dangerous person] tenir qn éloigné de qn
→ I want to keep you away from my husband
to keep sth away from sth [+object] tenir qch à l'écart de qch
→ A barbecue should be kept away from trees, bushes, fences, etc
[+animals, pests] maintenir à l'écart de qch
Keep animals away from the kitchen. Maintenez les animaux à l'écart de la cuisine.
vi (gen)
se tenir à l'écart
→ He lacked the will power to keep away.
(from dangerous thing)
ne pas s'approcher, se tenir à distance
Keep away! N'approchez pas!
to keep away from sth [+place] se tenir à distance de qch
[+drugs, temptation] se tenir à l'écart de qch
[+fire, dangerous area] se tenir à distance de qch
They kept away from the forest. Ils se tenaient à distance de la forêt.
Keep away from central London. Évitez le centre de Londres., Tenez vous à distance du centre de Londres.
to keep away from temptation ne pas s'exposer à la tentation
▲
keep back
(=hold back)
[+crowds, tears] retenir
(=reserve)
[+money] conserver, garder
Keep back enough juice to make the sauce. Conservez assez de jus pour pouvoir faire la sauce.
[+information] cacher
I can't help feeling he's keeping something back. Je ne peux m'empêcher de penser qu'il cache quelque chose.
vi rester à distance
Keep back or I'll shoot. Restez à distance ou je tire.
▲
keep down
(=control)
[+prices, spending, unemployment, inflation] maintenir au plus bas
[+noise] maintenir à un niveau acceptable
We must try and keep costs down. Nous devons essayer de maintenir les coûts au plus bas.
(in stomach)
[+food] garder
→ I can't keep anything down, not even water.
to keep one's head down garder la tête basse
→ He kept his head down, hiding his features.
[person] se baisser, rester baissé
▲
keep in
(=keep in house)
[+invalid, child] garder à la maison
→ He had a cold so I kept him in
They kept her in hospital overnight. Ils l'ont gardée à l'hôpital pour la nuit.
[+schoolchild] (as punishment)
coller, consigner old-fashioned
→ John was kept in at school one day last week.
to keep in with sb rester en bons termes avec qn
→ Now he is getting old he wishes he had kept in with his family.
▲
keep off
(=protect from)
[+dust, insects] protéger de
[+rain] abriter de
→ a bamboo hut to keep the rain off
At least it will keep the rain off. Au moins, ça nous abritera de la pluie.
Cover them with plastic bags to keep the dust off. Couvre-les avec des sacs en plastique pour les abriter de la poussière.
keep your hands off! bas les pattes!
"keep off the grass" "pelouse interdite"
to keep sb/sth off sth [+animal, child] empêcher qn/qch d'aller quelque part
Keep your dog off my lawn! Empêchez votre chien d'aller sur ma pelouse!
to keep sb off sth interdire à qn l'accès à qch, empêcher qn d'aller quelque part
You have no right to keep people off your land. Vous n'avez aucun droit d'interdire aux gens l'accès à vos terres., Vous n'avez aucun droit d'empêcher les gens d'aller sur vos terres.
vi
[rain]
Luckily the rain kept off. Par chance, la pluie n'a fait que menacer.
▲
keep on
vi continuer
to keep on doing sth
(=continue to do) continuer à faire qch
He kept on reading. Il a continué à lire.
→ They kept on walking for a while in silence.
(=do time after time) ne pas arrêter de faire quelque chose
The car keeps on breaking down. La voiture n'arrête pas de tomber en panne.
▲
keep out
[+intruders, terrorists] empêcher d'entrer
→ a guard dog to keep out intruders
[+draughts, wind] empêcher d'entrer
to keep out of trouble rester dans le droit chemin
→ He kept out of trouble until he left school.
vi rester en dehors
Keep out of this! Reste en dehors de tout ça!
"keep out" "défense d'entrer"
▲
keep to
vt
[+agreement, rule, plan] respecter
He didn't keep to our agreement. Il n'a pas respecté notre accord.
You've got to keep to the speed limit. Vous devez respecter la limitation de vitesse.
→ I am forced to keep to a tight schedule
[+path, road] rester sur
→ all but the rich keep to the minor roads
▲
keep up
(=match pace of walker, vehicle) arriver à suivre
Matthew walks so fast I can't keep up. Matthew marche tellement vite que je n'arrive pas à suivre.
Wait for me. I can't keep up. Attends-moi, je n'arrive pas à suivre.
to keep up with sb (in race, when walking)
se maintenir à la hauteur de qn
She had to hurry to keep up with me. Elle devait se dépêcher pour se maintenir à ma hauteur.
[student] (in class)
suivre
→ children who cannot keep up tend to become disruptive
to keep up with [+classmates] se maintenir au niveau de
I can't keep up with the rest of the class. Je n'arrive pas à me maintenir au niveau du reste de la classe.
[wages, pensions] suivre
Inflation is high but our pensions aren't keeping up. L'inflation est élevée mais nos retraites ne suivent pas.
to keep up with sth
(=match level of) se maintenir au niveau de qch
→ most dividends have also failed to keep up with profits since the last recession
to keep up with demand faire face à la demande
Supermarkets can barely keep up with demand. Les supermarchés peuvent tout juste faire face à la demande.
to keep up with inflation
[wages, pensions] s'aligner sur l'inflation
→ Pensions failed to keep up with inflation.
to keep up with sth
(=keep abreast of)
[+news, events] se tenir au courant de qch
→ She didn't bother to keep up with the news.
(=maintain)
[+standards] conserver
It's important to keep up our standards. Il est important de conserver nos exigences de qualité.
to keep up appearances sauver les apparences
They haven't so much money now but are desperately trying to keep up appearances. Ils n'ont plus beaucoup d'argent aujourd'hui mais ils essaient désespérément de sauver les apparences.
[+payments] continuer à s'acquitter de
→ He was unable to keep up the payments.
(=prevent from going to bed) tenir éveillé
We were kept up by the noise from next door. Le bruit dans l'appartement d'à côté nous a tenu éveillés.
Well done, keep it up! C'est bien, continue!
keep-fit
n gymnastique f de maintien, remise f en forme
→
keep fit class
keep fit class
n cours m de remise en forme
→ She started going to keep-fit classes.
I go to keep-fit classes. Je vais à des cours de remise en forme., Je vais à des cours de gymnastique de maintien.