keep up

British  

verb

1. (tr) to maintain (prices, one's morale) at the present level

2. (intr) to maintain a pace or rate set by another

3. to remain informed

   to keep up with technological developments

4. (tr) to maintain in good condition

5. (tr) to hinder (a person) from going to bed at night

   the excitement kept the children up well past their bedtime

6. to continue a good performance

7. to keep cheerful under difficult circumstances

8. to maintain one's stance or position against opposition or misfortune

9. to remain in contact with, esp by letter

10. informal to compete with one's neighbours in material possessions, etc

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keep up Idioms  

1. Also, keep up with . Proceed at the same pace, continue alongside another, as in We try to keep up with the times . [First half of 1600s] This usage, also put as keep pace , appears in the phrase keeping up with the Joneses , which was coined in 1913 by cartoonist Arthur R. Momand for the title of a series in the New York Globe . It means “trying to match the lifestyle of one's more affluent neighbors or acquaintances.” For example, Their buying a new van is just another attempt to keep up with the Joneses .

2. Support, sustain, as in They're trying to keep up their spirits while they wait for news of the crash . [Late 1600s] Also see keep one's chin up .

3. Maintain in good condition, as in Joan really kept up the property . [Mid-1500s] This usage also appears in the idiom keep up appearances , meaning “to maintain a good front, make things look good even if they're not,” as in She was devastated by his bad prognosis but is trying hard to keep up appearances for their children . [Mid-1700s]

4. Persevere, carry on, prolong, as in Keep up the good work , or How long will this noise keep up? [Early 1500s] Also see keep it up .

5. Also, keep up with ; keep up on . Stay in touch, remain informed. For example, Ann and I haven't seen each other since college, but we keep up through our annual Christmas letters , or We subscribe to three papers so as to keep up on current events . [c. 1900]

6. keep someone up . Cause someone to remain out of bed, as in He's keeping up the children beyond their bedtime . [Mid-1700s]

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Example Sentences

Shares that had been struggling to keep up suddenly leapt ahead.

From MarketWatch

Many parents feel they're struggling to keep up with the rapidly changing fads and trends on social media.

From BBC

Some countries that suppressed fuel prices this month are already struggling to keep up with demand.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Even a young person facing a physical illness, if they don't get the right support in place, they become anxious, nervous and they have less confidence about being in school and keeping up with friends."

From BBC

While teams such as the Dodgers and New York Yankees might have built-in advantages, bottom-feeders have made little effort to keep up.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• hold on