upkeep

[ uhp-keep ]

/ ˈʌpˌkip /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR upkeep ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the process or activity of providing an establishment, machine, person, etc., with necessary or proper maintenance, repairs, support, or the like: The machine's faulty operation shows that no one has attended to its upkeep.

the total sum of the costs or expenses for this.

Nearby words

upholstery, uphroe, upi, upington, upjohn, upkeep, upland, upland cotton, upland plover, upland sandpiper, uplift

Origin of upkeep

First recorded in 1880–85; up- + keep

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for upkeep

Upkeep of the island has been pricey, but Sealand has found ways to pay the bills.
Welcome to Sealand: a Sovereign Nation|Nina Strochlic|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For the following 70 years, de Florian paid the rent and upkeep on the home without ever returning.
The Parisian Belle Epoque Time Capsule|Nina Strochlic|February 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hodge also criticized the Royal Household for not maintaining the upkeep of its royal properties, including Buckingham Palace.
What ‘Downton Abbey’ Can Teach The Queen|Tim Teeman|January 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Readers, he once wrote, should be “as much interested in the upkeep of the papers as the managers and the editors are.”
Best Books About the Rest of the World|Kapil Komireddi|December 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST

At the same time, crucial investments have faltered, including for upkeep.
After the Presidential Election, a Tough Road for Hugo Chávez|Mac Margolis|October 9, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Rentals of houses based on a fair return on their cost with allowance for upkeep and electric lights on the same basis.
The Survey, Volume XXX, Number 1, April 5, 1913|Various
Martha Washington became greatly interested both in its upkeep and in its preservation.
Special Days and their Observance|Anonymous
Nature herself has provided just as much salt as is required for the upkeep of our health.
A Guide to Health|Mahatma Gandhi
The items of expense are interest on the first cost of the pumping machinery, depreciation, upkeep and running expenses.
Farm Mechanics|Herbert A. Shearer
They were supposed to work on temple land and to produce for the upkeep of the temples and monasteries.
A history of China., [3d ed. rev. and enl.]|Wolfram Eberhard

British Dictionary definitions for upkeep

upkeep

/ (ˈʌpˌkiːp) /

noun

the act or process of keeping something in good repair, esp over a long period; maintenance

the cost of maintenance

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

upkeep

noun

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of upkeep

Examples from the Web for upkeep

British Dictionary definitions for upkeep

upkeep

noun