for keeps

1. For the winner to retain, as in You can't take the marbles back; we were playing for keeps . [Mid-1800s]

2. For an indefinitely long time, forever, as in She is leaving town for keeps .

3. In earnest, seriously, as in We're separating for keeps . [Late 1800s]

Example Sentences

I’d been friendly with the group before, but now we were bonded for keeps.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He kept an eye out for Selener — and now he has her for keeps.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Penny Lane is in our ears and in our eyes - and this time it's for keeps."

Read more on BBC

Putin is playing for keeps, so are the Ukrainians, and so should we.

Read more on Salon

Calista nodded after I named each one, like she was plugging them into her brain for keeps.

Read more on Literature