The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  keep in touch → See IN TOUCH.

  keep in with → See IN WITH.

  keep it up Continue to do or maintain something, as in They were playing loud music, and they kept it up all night long. [Mid-1700s] Also see KEEP UP, def. 4.

  keep late hours Stay awake until late at night. For example, Never call Ethel before noon; she keeps late hours and sleeps all morning.

  keep off 1. Ward off, avert, as in She used a bug spray to keep off the mosquitoes. [Mid-1500s] 2. Stay away from, not touch or trespass on; also, prevent from touching or trespassing. For example, They put up a sign asking the public to keep off their property, or Please keep your feet off the sofa. [Late 1500s] Also see HANDS OFF.

  keep on 1. Continue, persist, as in They kept on singing all night. [Late 1500s] 2. Maintain an existing situation, as in After Mr. Brown died, the housekeeper wondered if she would be kept on. [Mid-1600s] 3. Cause to stay on or remain attached, as in Keep your coat on; it’s cold in here. [Late 1800s]

  keep one’s chin up Be stalwart and courageous in a difficult situation, as in Don’t let the loan officer intimidate you; keep your chin up, or Despite all the difficulty, he kept his chin up. This expression alludes to a posture of firm resolution. [First half of 1900s]

  keep one’s cool Retain one’s composure and poise, as in Billy keeps his cool, no matter what the situation. This slangy usage dates from the mid-1900s, as do the antonyms blow one’s cool and lose one’s cool, as in Try not to blow your cool in front of the team, or Dad lost his cool when he saw Jim playing with matches. Also see KEEP COOL.

  keep one’s distance Stay away; also, remain emotionally remote. For example, It’s wise to keep one’s distance from any wild animal, or Since the family argued with him, Harry’s been keeping his distance. [Late 1500s]

  keep oneself to oneself → See under KEEP TO ONESELF.

  keep one’s end up → See HOLD ONE’S END UP.

  keep one’s eye on the ball Remain alert and attentive, as in The research director told her students to keep their eye on the ball when it came to accurate footnotes. This expression alludes to numerous sports in which players must watch a ball’s path. [c. 1900]

  keep one’s eyes open Also, keep one’s eyes peeled or skinned. Be watchful and observant. For example, We should keep our eyes open for a change in the wind’s direction, or Keep your eyes peeled for the teacher. The first phrase dates from the late 1800s; the second and third, both colloquial and alluding to the lids not covering the eyes, date from the mid-1800s and 1830s, respectively.

  keep one’s fingers crossed → See CROSS ONE’S FINGERS.

  keep one’s hand in → See under HAVE A HAND IN.

  keep one’s hands off → See HANDS OFF.

  keep one’s head 1. Stay calm, retain self-control, as in When the rowboat capsized, George yelled that everyone should keep their head and hold onto the boat. This usage dates from the early 1600s and is about two centuries older than the antonym, lose one’s head, meaning “to become confused and agitated,” as in Whenever the stock market goes down sharply, people seem to lose their heads and sell. 2. keep one’s head above water. See HEAD ABOVE WATER.

  keep one’s mouth shut Be quiet; don’t reveal confidential information. For example, The teachers told us to keep our mouths shut during the entire presentation, or You can’t tell Carol anything; she’s incapable of keeping her mouth shut. Also see HOLD ONE’S TONGUE; MUM’S THE WORD.

  keep one’s nose clean Stay out of trouble. For example, Dad told Brian to keep his nose clean from now on or he’d cut off his allowance. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

  keep one’s nose to the grindstone → See NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.

  keep one’s own counsel Say little or nothing about one’s opinions or intentions. For example, Betty is notorious for keeping her own counsel; you never know what she really thinks. This expression employs counsel in the sense of “a secret,” a usage dating from about 1300.

  keep one’s powder dry Stay alert, be careful, as in Go ahead and take on the opposition, but keep your powder dry. This colloquial expression, which originally alluded to keeping gunpowder dry so that it would ignite, has been used figuratively since the 1800s but today is less common than TAKE CARE.

  keep one’s shirt on Stay calm, be patient; not give way to temper or excitement. For example, Keep your shirt on, Bob, they’ll be here in time for the wedding. [Colloquial; mid-1800s]

  keep one’s temper → See HOLD ONE’S TEMPER.

  keep one’s wits about one → See HAVE ONE’S WITS ABOUT ONE.

  keep one’s word Honor one’s promises, as in You can count on Richard; he’ll keep his word. This expression employs word in the sense of “a promise,” a usage dating from the late 1500s. For an antonym, see GO BACK ON.

  keep pace Also, keep up. Go at the same rate as others, not fall behind. For example, The teacher told his mother that Jimmy was not keeping up with the class. Shakespeare had the first term in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (3:2): “My legs cannot keep pace with my desires.” [Late 1500s]

  keep posted Supply with up-to-date information, as in Keep me posted about your new job. This usage alludes to the accounting practice of posting the latest figures in a ledger. [Early 1800s]

  keep quiet Also, keep still. 1. Also, be quiet or still. Remain silent; same as HOLD ONE’S TONGUE. For example, Please keep quiet about the party. Also see KEEP ONE’S MOUTH SHUT. 2. Refrain from moving, stay in the same position. For example, The doctor gave the young boy a toy to keep him quiet while on the examining table, or It’s hard for the baby to keep still unless he’s sleeping. [Late 1300s]

  keep tabs on Observe carefully, keep a record of. For example, I hate having my boss keep tabs on my every move, or We’ve got to keep tabs on outgoing mail so we can keep track of postage. This expression uses to tab in the sense of “an account.” [Late 1800s] Also see KEEP TRACK.

  keep the ball rolling → See GET THE BALL ROLLING.

  keep the lid on → See PUT THE LID ON.

  keep the peace Maintain public order; prevent strife. For example, President Clinton ordered troops to Bosnia to keep the peace. This expression dates from the 1400s and was originally used more in the first sense, that is, of police keeping public order. It gained extra currency in the second half of the 1900s when military forces were sent to diverse places—Lebanon, Haiti, Bosnia—to stop warring factions.

  keep the wolf from the door Ward off starvation or financial ruin. For example, In many countries people are working simply to keep the wolf from the door, and owning a car or washing machine is just a dream, or Gail would take any job now, just to keep the wolf from the door. This term alludes to the wolf’s fabled ravenousness. [Mid-1500s]

  keep time 1. 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.” 2. Also, keep good time. Indicate the correct time, as in This inexpensive watch does not keep good time. [Late 1800s]

  keep to 1. Adhere to, conform to, as in Let’s keep to the original purpose of this will. [Early 1600s] 2. Confine oneself to, as in Whenever she didn’t feel well, she kept to her bed. Also see KEEP TO ONESELF.

  keep to oneself 1. Also, keep oneself to oneself. Shun the company of others; value one’s privacy, as in She kept to herself all morning, or, as Doris Lessing put it in In Pursuit of the English (1960): “She keeps herself to herself so much.” [Late 1600s] 2. Refrain from revealing, hold secret, as in He promised to keep the news to himself. Also see the synonym KEEP UNDER ONE’S HAT.

  keep track Remain informed, follow the course of, as in Are you keeping track of the time? This usage alludes to following a literal track, as of footsteps. The antonym, lose track, alludes to straying or wandering from a track, as in I’ve lost track—what day
are you leaving? [Late 1800s]

  keep under one’s hat Preserve the secrecy of something, as in I’ll tell you about it if you promise to keep it under your hat. This usage alludes to hiding a secret in one’s head, covered by a hat. [Late 1800s]

  keep under wraps → See UNDER WRAPS.

  keep up 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]

  keep watch Also, keep a watch or close watch on; watch over. Observe with continuous attention, especially to act as a sentinel or for protection. For example, Afraid that the wolves would return, she kept watch while the others slept, or They kept a close watch on the harbor, looking for signs of enemy ships, or, according to the Gospel of St. Luke (2:8): “And there were in the same country shepherds... keeping watch over their flock by night.” [Late 1300s] Also see KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR.

  keep your... → See under KEEP ONE’S.

  keg → See SITTING ON A POWDER KEG.

  kettle → In addition to the idiom beginning with KETTLE, also see POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK.

  kettle of fish 1. Also, a fine or pretty kettle of fish. An unpleasant or messy predicament, as in They haven’t spoken in years, and they’re assigned to adjoining seats—that’s a fine kettle of fish. This term alludes to the Scottish riverside picnic called kettle of fish, where freshly caught salmon were boiled and eaten out of hand. [Early 1700s] 2. a different or another kettle of fish. A very different matter or issue, not necessarily a bad one. For example, They’re paying for the meal? That’s a different kettle of fish. [First half of 1900s]

  key → In addition to the idiom beginning with KEY, also see IN KEY; UNDER LOCK AND KEY.

  key up Make intense, excited, or nervous. For example, The excitement of the gallery opening has really keyed her up. This usage alludes to key in the sense of “wind up a spring-driven mechanism such as a clock.” [Late 1800s]

  kibosh → See PUT THE KIBOSH ON.

  kick → In addition to the idioms beginning with KICK, also see ALIVE AND KICKING; FOR FUN (KICKS); GET A BANG (KICK) OUT OF.

  kick a habit Also, kick it; kick the habit. Overcome or give up habitual use, especially of narcotics. For example, Smoking is addictive; it’s not easy to kick, or If he doesn’t kick the habit, he may not make it through school. This idiom uses kick in the sense of “get rid of.” [First half of 1900s]

  kick around 1. Treat badly, abuse, as in I’m sick and tired of being kicked around by my supervisor. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s] 2. Also, kick about. Move from place to place, as in They spent three years kicking around the country on their bikes, or We’ve no address; we’re just kicking about until we find somewhere to settle. [Colloquial; early 1800s] 3. Also, kick about. Consider, think about or discuss; examine or try out. For example, Let’s kick this scenario around for a while and see what we come up with, or We’ve been kicking about various schemes to make money. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s] 4. Be available or unused, as in This old computer has been kicking around for months—no one seems to want it. [c. 1900]

  kick ass Also, kick butt. Punish or discipline harshly; also, defeat soundly. For example, That foreman’s furious; he’s going to kick ass before the day is over, or Our team is out to kick butt today. [Vulgar slang; 1940s]

  kick back 1. Recoil unexpectedly and violently, as in This rifle kicks back a lot when you fire it. [Early 1800s] 2. Return stolen property to the owner, as in The pawnbroker kicked back the paintings to the gallery. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s] 3. Pay back a part of one’s earnings, as in The workers were forced to kick back half their pay to the agent. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]

  kick in 1. Contribute one’s share, as in We’ll kick in half if you take care of the rest. [Colloquial; c. 1900] 2. Also, kick off. Die, as in No one knows when he’ll kick in, or He finally kicked off yesterday. [Slang; first half of 1900s] Also see KICK THE BUCKET. 3. Begin to operate, as in Finally the motor kicked in and we could get started. This usage was first recorded in 1908.

  kick in the pants, a 1. Also, a kick in the teeth. A humiliating setback or rebuff. For example, That rejection was a real kick in the pants, or That review was a kick in the teeth. A third, vulgar variant of these colloquial terms is a kick in the ass. Versions of this last expression—kick in the breech, kick in the behind—have been used since the early 1800s. 2. A cause of enjoyment, as in That show was a real kick in the pants. This meaning is virtually the opposite of def. 1 and can be differentiated from it only by the context. [1960s]

  kick it → See KICK A HABIT; KICK THE BUCKET.

  kick off 1. Start, begin, as in They kicked off the celebration with a parade. This term alludes to starting play by kicking the ball in soccer, football, and similar sports. [Mid-1800s] 2. See KICK IN, def. 2.

  kick oneself Berate oneself, reproach oneself, as in I’ve been kicking myself all day for forgetting the keys. [Late 1800s]

  kick out 1. Also, boot out. Throw out, dismiss, especially ignominiously. For example, George said they’d been kicked out of the country club, or The owner booted them out of the restaurant for being loud and disorderly. This idiom alludes to expelling someone with a KICK IN THE PANTS. [Late 1600s] 2. Supply, especially in a sorted fashion, as in The bureau kicked out the precise data for this month’s production. [Slang; late 1900s]

  kick over the traces Break loose from restraint, misbehave. For example, There’s always one child who’ll kick over the traces as soon as the bell rings. This metaphoric expression alludes to the straps attaching a horse to a vehicle, which the animal sometimes gets a leg over in order to kick more freely and thereby refuse to move forward. [Mid-1800s]

  kick the bucket Die, as in All of my goldfish kicked the bucket while we were on vacation. This moderately impolite usage has a disputed origin. Some say it refers to committing suicide by hanging, in which one stands on a bucket, fastens a rope around one’s neck, and kicks the bucket away. A more likely origin is the use of bucket in the sense of “a beam from which something may be suspended”; because pigs were suspended by their heels from such beams after being slaughtered, the term kick the bucket came to mean “to die.” [Colloquial; late 1700s] It is sometimes abbreviated as kick it.

  kick the habit → See KICK A HABIT.

  kick up Malfunction, cause trouble or pain, as in My grandmother’s arthritis is kicking up again. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s] Also see ACT UP; also subsequent entries beginning with KICK UP.

  kick up a fuss Also, kick up a row or storm. Create a disturbance; start a fight. For example, The soup was cold, and Aunt Mary began to kick up a fuss, calling for the manager, or There’s no need to kick up a row; the boys will leave quietly, or If they fire him, Carl is ready to kick
up a storm. These expressions all employ kick up in the sense of “raise dust or dirt,” a usage dating from the mid-1700s.

  kick up one’s heels Enjoy oneself, as in When she retires, she plans to kick up her heels and travel. This expression originated about 1600 with a totally different meaning, “to be killed.” The modern sense, alluding to a prancing horse or exuberant dancer, dates from about 1900.

  kick upstairs Promote someone to a higher but less desirable position, especially one with less authority. For example, Paul never forgave the company for kicking him upstairs at age 55. This expression alludes to its antonym, kick downstairs, simply meaning “eject.” [Mid-1900s]

  kid → In addition to the idioms beginning with KID, also see HANDLE WITH (KID) GLOVES. Also see KIDDING.

  kid around Engage in good-humored fooling, joking, or teasing. For example, He’s always kidding around with the other boys. [First half of 1900s]

  kidding → See ALL JOKING (KIDDING) ASIDE; NO KIDDING.

  kid gloves → See HANDLE WITH (KID) GLOVES.

  kid stuff Something very easy or uncomplicated, as in That new computer program is kid stuff. This usage alludes to something suitable for young children, or “kids.” [c. 1920]

  kid the pants off → See PANTS OFF.

  kill → In addition to the idioms beginning with KILL, also see CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT; DRESSED TO KILL; FIT TO KILL; IN AT THE DEATH (KILL); MAKE A KILLING.

  kill off 1. Render extinct, eliminate completely, as in The plague killed off entire villages and towns. [c. 1600] 2. Represent as dead, as in This mystery writer kills off a new victim in almost every chapter. [Mid-1800s]

  kill or cure Either remedy a disease or kill the patient, as in The copy chief did not like her headline for the drug, “Kill or Cure.” This expression dates from the mid-1700s, when it was already being used half-jokingly.

  kill the fatted calf Prepare for a joyful occasion or a warm welcome. For example, When Bill comes home from his trip to Korea we’re going to kill the fatted calf. This expression alludes to the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32), whose father welcomed him by serving the choicest calf after his return. [Early 1600s]