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keep one's word

Idioms  
  1. Honor one's promises, as in You can count on Richard; he'll keep his word. This expression employs word in the sense of “a promise,” a usage dating from the late 1500s. For an antonym, see go back on.


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.

For instance, to love one’s parents, respect other people’s property, to keep one’s word, etc., is right; to harm those who have done us no harm, to deceive and lie, to be ungrateful towards our benefactors, and unfaithful to our friends, etc., is wrong.

From Project Gutenberg

Still, she had promised, and one should keep one’s word unless the keeping becomes impossible.

From Project Gutenberg

If you have promised things to other people—— My father always said that one must keep one's word.'

From Project Gutenberg

But the good faith, inculcated by sound reason and religion, is not hereby made void; for neither reason nor Scripture teaches one to keep one's word in every case.

From Project Gutenberg

He showed how much more creditable were the artless virtues of honesty and truthfulness; how better it was to keep one's word, to be kind-hearted and dutiful.

From Project Gutenberg