keep on
Britishverb
-
to continue or persist in (doing something)
keep on running
-
(tr) to continue to wear
-
(tr) to continue to employ
the firm kept on only ten men
-
to persist in talking (about)
-
to nag (a person)
-
Continue, persist, as in They kept on singing all night . [Late 1500s]
-
Maintain an existing situation, as in After Mr. Brown died, the housekeeper wondered if she would be kept on . [Mid-1600s]
-
Cause to stay on or remain attached, as in Keep your coat on; it's cold in here . [Late 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We’re a long way from knowing whether she can survive and win a second term, but Austin Beutner and any other legitimate contenders are being handed gifts that will keep on giving.
From Los Angeles Times
In the immediate aftermath, “nothing happened, but we kept on having all these aftershocks sitting there right near the San Andreas and making us uncomfortable and worrying about it,” Jones said.
From Los Angeles Times
“That means it keeps on giving,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times
As you pull out of the driveway, remind them of the gift that keeps on giving: your phone number—as long as they don’t ask you to fix a printer.
"The only thing I can say is if you're looking at auction, just keep on looking - 9.9 times out of 10 it is often a failure, but that one time you can strike lucky."
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
