kept

American  

[kept] / kɛpt /

verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of keep.

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adjective

1. having the expression of principles, ideas, etc., controlled, dominated, or determined by one whose money provides support.

   a kept press;

   a kept writer.

kept British  

/ kɛpt /

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of keep

2. pejorative a woman maintained by a man as his mistress

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Other Word Forms

• unkept adjective
• well-kept adjective

Etymology

Origin of kept

First recorded in 1670–80 kept for def. 2

Example Sentences

They kept operating as long as possible because “to close something meant to lose all investments and assets irrevocably,” he said.

From MarketWatch

But I pressed on, kept it short and off it went.

From Los Angeles Times

When asked if she can keep a secret herself, she joked: "I have kept a secret for a very long time. Jennifer Saunders is an alien."

From BBC

"Well done Australia. Dominated every game pretty much. A fitting result. They kept the foot on the throat."

From Barron's

United have still only kept two clean sheets all season.

From BBC