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

Those who lose out might be at risk of downgrades to their credit ratings if their future cash flow doesn’t keep up with debt they have issued.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Times’ Sullivan took in the 1975 New York production, calling it “dazzling” and wondered if Broadway audiences would be able to keep up with it.

From Los Angeles Times

He reaped great commercial rewards with cutting-edge highbrow material—yet sometimes felt his audience couldn’t keep up.

From The Wall Street Journal

Over the past 30 years, most of the industry’s expansion has come from a swelling middle class who bought Louis Vuitton handbags and Rolex watches to try to keep up with the superwealthy.

From The Wall Street Journal

They point to depressed oil prices that mean the government can’t balance its budget or keep up with Vision 2030’s ballooning costs.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• hold on