keep time
Idioms-
Maintain the correct tempo and rhythm of music; also, mark the rhythm by foot-tapping, hand movements, or the like. For example, The children love to keep time by clapping their hands . This usage dates from the late 1500s and is occasionally put figuratively, as Ben Jonson did in Cynthia's Revels (1699): “Slow, slow, fresh fount, keep time with my salt tears.”
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Also, keep good time . Indicate the correct time, as in This inexpensive watch does not keep good time . [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.
The ranch is home to the 10,000-Year-Clock, which is designed to keep time for 10,000 years and helped Sanchez think about her future with Bezos, according to Vogue.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
He explains what extreme heat does to your body, why some people struggle to keep time, and the exciting new trial that could offer hope for people who are blind.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
They identified 57 genomic regions associated with it, sharing genetic architecture with autism, depression and the ability to keep time in a musical rhythm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
These names date back to earlier periods — when Native American, medieval European and other cultures turned to cycles in nature to keep time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2023
I love the way that the bells on my ankles and wrists keep time to the mathematical rhythm of the tabla drum.
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
