Middle English Dictionary Entry

kẹ̄pen v.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms kẹ̄pen v. Also kep(e, cepen, quep, keppe(n & kipen, quippe & kape. Forms: sg. 3 kẹ̄peth, etc. & kepth; p. kept(e, cept, kipte & kẹ̄ped(e, kẹ̄pet, kepped, keppet, kaped & kẹ̄p(e, keppe; ppl. kẹ̄ped(e, kẹ̄pet, kepped(e, keppet, (late) kẹ̄peden & kept(e, kipte & kẹ̄pe. Contraction: kepent (= kepen hit).
Etymology OE cēpan, sg. 3 cēpþ, p. cēpte.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) To care about (sb.), wish for (sth.), desire (sb. or sth.); ~ no bettre, want nothing better; ~ no more, desire nothing more; ~ of, care about (sb.); (b) ~ nought (nothing, not) of, to care nothing about (sb. or sth.); ~ no (never) more of, want no more of (sb. or sth.), have no further use for; (c) ne kepe ich nought, ich kepe not, I don't care at all (that sth. is so); kept ich never, I never wished (that sth. should take place); etc.
Show 44 Quotations
2.
To wish or desire (to do or be sth.); -- usually in negative contexts.
Show 31 Quotations
3a.
(a) To take (sth.) into one's possession, take (sth. from sb.), receive (sth.); attain (a certain age); -- also used intr.; (b) to take (sth.) by force; ~ of, snatch off (a falcon's hood); ~ up, snatch up (a weapon); (c) ?to pillage; (d) to catch (sb. who is falling); take (sb. in one's arms), take (sb., animals) captive, catch (butterflies), capture.
Show 18 Quotations
3b.
(a) To receive (a blow); fig. ~ dethes clap (dint), suffer death; (b) to take (a stroke) defensively; ward off, parry.
Show 8 Quotations
4a.
(a) To keep (sth.) in one's possession; retain, hold, have; ~ in honde; ~ breth, hold (one's) breath; ~ possessioun, retain possession; ~ sole, remain single; ~ water, retain (one's) urine; -- also used intr.; (b) to keep (sth.) in mind; hold in memory, remember; ~ in minde (thought); ~ remembraunce.
Show 41 Quotations
4b.
(a) To hold or preserve (sth. in a container, vessel, etc.); also fig.; (b) of a container: to hold or preserve (sth.); of a place: contain (persons), hold.
Show 14 Quotations
5.
(a) To hold (sth.) in reserve; keep for future use, hoard; ~ in hord, ~ in stor; ~ time, bide (one's) time; ppl. kepinge, as adj.: niggardly, stingy; (b) to reserve (sth., oneself, for sb. or for somebody's use); -- with for or to (til, unto) phr. or with dat. obj.
Show 38 Quotations
6.
(a) To keep (sb. or sth. in, or out of, a place or position); force to remain or stay; ~ awei (of), keep (sb. or sth.) away, prevent from coming near; also, drive away; ~ in, keep (sth.) in, retain; ~ oute (withouten), prevent (sb. or sth.) from entering; ~ togederes, keep (persons or things) together; ~ up, keep (sb.) upright; etc.; (b) to hold (sb. or oneself apart from somebody else), keep away.
Show 31 Quotations
7.
(a) To keep (sb., oneself, or sth. in, or out of, a state or condition); ~ in chastite, keep (the body, oneself) chaste; ~ in clos, keep (sth.) secret; ~ in the werre, keep (oneself) at war; ~ out of blame, keep (sb.) out of disrepute; ~ to the lif, keep (sb.) alive; ~ withouten charge, keep (oneself) from being burdensome; etc.; (b) to keep (sb. or sth.) being (such and such); refl. keep oneself (such and such), remain (such and such); ~ chaste, ~ clene, ~ clos, ~ secre, ~ stille, ~ wakinge, etc.; refl. ~ a maide clene, remain a virgin.
Show 46 Quotations
8a.
(a) To restrain (sb.) from doing something; (b) to restrain (oneself) from an expression of sorrow, restrain (an act of expression); ~ in, ~ in hold; (c) refl. to hold oneself back (from sin, idolatry, unseemly action, etc.), refrain; also, abstain (from eating certain food); (d) ~ tonge (mouth), to restrain (one's) speech, hold (one's) tongue, keep silent; ivel kept tonge; (e) ~ fot, to watch (one's) steps; (f) ~ of, to refrain from (sth.).
Show 34 Quotations
8b.
(a) To be on guard (that sth. does not take place), take heed; -- also refl.; (b) to serve as a prevention (that sth. does not take place); ppl. kepinge, preventative; (c) to prevent (sb. or sth. from doing sth.); (d) to watch out, beware; be careful (to do sth.).
Show 26 Quotations
9a.
(a) To guard (a captive or prisoner), hold (sb.) prisoner, keep (sb.) imprisoned; also, besiege (sb.); ~ in prisoun, ~ in warde, etc.; (b) to keep (an animal) confined; (c) of a prison: to hold (a convict).
Show 19 Quotations
9b.
(a) To guard (sb., an animal) protectively, defend (sb. against foes); (b) refl. to defend oneself from attack, protect oneself against assault, be on one's guard; (c) ~ hed, to guard (one's) head, be on (one's) guard; ~ his cors, ?protect his body, ?protect himself.
Show 19 Quotations
10.
(a) To guard or defend (a place, a structure), guard (treasure, an object, a corpse), defend (the church); keep watch over (approaches by sea); also fig.; (b) ~ for (fro, from), to guard (a place, etc.) against (sb. or sth.); ~ of, keep (a place) free from (noise).
Show 33 Quotations
11a.
(a) To protect or preserve (sb. or sth.) from harm, damage, decay, pain, etc.; saven and ~, crist kepe the, so god me kepe, etc.; (b) ~ fro(m, to preserve or protect (sb. or sth.) from (harm, heat, cold, pain, sorrow, shame, sin, the Devil, etc.); (c) ~ for (of), to protect (sth.) from (sth.); (d) to serve as protection against (sth.); (e) to last without spoiling, keep.
Show 64 Quotations
11b.
(a) To save (sb.) from death, keep alive; also, save or spare (someone's life); (b) to be saved, have salvation.
Show 7 Quotations
11c.
Anat., med., & surg. (a) To shield (a part of the body), protect; shield (the eye) during cauterization, protect (a wound from water, air, etc.), protect (a patient or a wound from ulceration, pain, etc.); (b) to preserve (part of the body, a bodily substance); (c) to hold (a disease, a cancer, an ulcer, etc.) in check, keep from worsening, palliate without curing.
Show 23 Quotations
12.
(a) To preserve (sth.) without loss or change; perpetuate, conserve; ~ up the bodi of policie, preserve the body politic; (b) to keep (sth.) secret; ~ counseil, keep a secret, keep (someone's) secret, keep (sth.) a secret.
Show 18 Quotations
13.
(a) To preserve (a quality, state, or condition), keep in a state of being, maintain; ~ forth, ~ up; ~ contenaunce, maintain (one's) composure; ~ (god) name, preserve reputation; ~ hele, preserve health; ~ (in) silence, keep silence; ~ the pes, keep the peace; etc.; (b) to keep (a fire) from going out.
Show 35 Quotations
14a.
(a) To take care of (sb.) personally; look after, watch over, attend; serve (a master or mistress); nurse, nurture, or rear (a child); treat or nurse (a patient); kepinge knight, a servant, an attendant; (b) ~ to, to take care of (sb.) by personal attendance; (c) to attend (sb. with honor, worship, etc.), honor (sb. or somebody's life with due observance); (d) to have command of (a body of soldiers, sentinels).
Show 30 Quotations
14b.
(a) To support (sb., oneself), sustain in means of livelihood, provide for, accommodate; also, keep (a woman) in concubinage; (b) to provide (a body with food); (c) to take in (paying guests).
Show 17 Quotations
14c.
(a) To govern (affections, thoughts, etc.); ~ thi cors, govern yourself, act; (b) refl. to take care of oneself, manage or govern one's behavior, behave.
Show 15 Quotations
15a.
(a) To take care of (sheep, cattle, swine, hawks, etc.); look after, watch over, guard, tend; also fig. tend or protect (persons) as a flock; (b) ~ til (to), to attend to (sheep, horses).
Show 24 Quotations
15b.
(a) To take care of (property), look after (goods), manage (affairs); ~ hous (houshold), manage the affairs of a household; (b) to look after the growing of (grain, a tree); (c) to look after the proper working of (sth.), maintain in working order, keep in repair; ~ crokke (pot), watch a boiling pot; ~ forth (up) the reparacioun, maintain the repairs, see to the upkeep; (d) to hold (a place, an object) in official possession or custody; also fig.
Show 41 Quotations
16.
To govern or rule (a country, province, city, people, etc.); rule (a place) as a vicegerent; ~ governaunce (lordshipe), exercise governing authority; ~ the coroune, rule as a king, reign; -- also intr.
Show 17 Quotations
17a.
(a) To keep watch for (sb., a hunted animal); keep watch of (a hunted animal); (b) to lie in wait or ambush for (sb.); -- also used intr.
Show 8 Quotations
17b.
(a) To await the arrival of (sb.); await (somebody's arrival); greet or welcome (sb.) on arrival; (b) to wait to find out (sth.).
Show 23 Quotations
17c.
(a) To take notice of (sth.), observe, mark; (b) ~ to, to look to (God) for help; ~ til, observe (sb.).
Show 7 Quotations
18.
(a) To engage (sb.) in combat, assault; ~ bataille, engage in combat; ~ in the berd, attack (sb.) at close quarters; meet (sb.) head-on; (b) ~ with carp, to engage (sb.) in conversation.
Show 15 Quotations
19.
(a) To continue on (a course, road, path); keep to (a way of life), adhere to (a course of action); (b) to continue (to do sth.); continue (in a specified condition); (c) to pass (a period of time); ~ time, employ (one's) time.
Show 13 Quotations
20.
(a) To carry on (an activity, conversation), practice (a craft), keep (a watch), maintain (a siege, war), hold (a session of a king's court, a meeting), conduct (a church council), hold (a funeral service), celebrate (a mass), etc.; (b) ?to exert (oneself to do sth.); ben kept, be occupied (with an activity).
Show 19 Quotations
21.
(a) To remain in (a place), keep within (a place), occupy (the place of sb.), keep to (one's bed), keep (a distance); ~ houshold, maintain residence; (b) to stay within (physical bounds or bounds of conduct); (c) ~ feld (stale), to remain on the battlefield, maintain one's position in battle, stand firm; ~ ouen, hold (one's) own; ~ hors bak, stay on (one's) horse's back; ~ sadel, stay in (one's) saddle; ~ to marche, stay along the border or in the borderlands; (d) to stay without moving about, reside (in a place); also, maintain battle position; (e) refl. to keep oneself (somewhere); stay (in a place), remain, dwell; ~ upon hors bak, ~ on stede, maintain oneself on horseback; ~ in (within), stay inside.
Show 49 Quotations
22a.
(a) To abide by (sth. prescribed, promised, or agreed to); follow (a commandment, advice), obey (a command), observe (the law), keep (the faith); adhere to (a promise, vow, boast, etc.), maintain (one's belief); etc.; (b) to maintain (laws, etc.) in force, enforce (the law).
Show 39 Quotations
22b.
To observe (a prescribed practice, regimen, etc.), honor (an observance, a sacrament), follow (a custom, monastic rule, etc.).
Show 21 Quotations
22c.
(a) To observe (a holy day, festival, etc.), celebrate in the prescribed way; (b) to honor a commitment to (one's day in court, one's day of payment, or one's day of battle); (c) of planets, stars: to observe (the limits of periods of time).
Show 14 Quotations
23.
In surnames.
Show 5 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)536/13 : Þat blode last kepeth many men þat ben redy to falle into sekenesses.
    • Note: might be placed in 11c.(a) with gloss to protect (a patient) from disease
  • ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)383/21 : How schal þe lepre be helede…when þat…þe cancre in one membre is nouȝt helede? It may be preseruede, i. kepte, and couerede…it may not…be curede.
    • Note: ?New gloss 'prevented'
    Note: ?unlikely in context. Seems to mean 'kept in its present state' - i.e., not spreading--per MM
  • a1475 Friar & B.(Brog 2.1)p.50 : Schete whersoever thou wyll, Thou schalt never faylle…The pryke rydy thou schalt kepe.
    • Note: Additional quote(s)
  • a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)5/6 : Kepytt your veniauns to me, and I wyll qwyt you.
    • Note: New sense
    Note: 'convey, give, reserve for me'?
  • (1344) *Anc.Pet.(PRO)SC 8-192.9580 : We bisecheþ þi grace & þin help vor þe l[o]ue of god & vor seinte charite & vor þine eldre soules of þi commission to jon of Draitoun vor to do attachie þulke misdoeres…where & whenne þt jon mai kepe time where þulke mowe be ifounde in þi realme.
    • Note: Antedates 19.(c)

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Phrase "~ sole" in sense 4a.(a) represents a revision of that found in the print MED, "~ soule", mis-defined as "keep (one's) life, stay alive." The phrase "~ soule" does indeed appear ('preserve one's life, save one's soul'), but not in the quotations under this sense.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (BodeMus 187:Harvey)f.3r (1.3) : 'Epar'..twynneþ & dyuiseþ þe clere fro þe þyk & þe clene fro þe vnclene, & kepeþ hym hys fode of þe blode.
Note: ?New sense. Editor's gloss: kepeþ hym 'retains for itself'.

©2024 Regents of the University of Michigan. For details about this collection's copyright see the MEC copyright statement and the U-M Library Copyright Policy. Data last refreshed December 2023.