[keep one's head above water] <v. phr.> To remain solvent; manage to stay out of debt. * /Herb's income declined so drastically that he now has difficulty keeping his head above water./

[keep one's mouth shut] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be or stay silent.
– A rude expression when used as a command. * /When the crooks were captured by the police, their leader warned them to keep their mouths shut./ * /Charles began to tell Barry how to kick the ball, and Barry said angrily, "Keep your mouth shut!"/ Syn.: SHUT UP(1).

[keep one's nose clean] <v. phr.>, <slang> To stay out of trouble; do only what you should do. * /The boss said Jim could have the job as long as he kept his nose clean and worked hard./ * /The policeman warned the boys to keep their noses clean unless they wanted to go to jail./ Compare: STEER CLEAR OF(2).

[keep one's nose to the grindstone] or [have one's nose to the grindstone] or [hold one's nose to the grindstone] <v. phr.>, <informal> To work hard all the time; keep busy with boring or tiresome work. * /Sarah keeps her nose to the grindstone and saves as much as possible to start her own business./

[keep one's own counsel] <v. phr.>, <formal> To keep your ideas and plans to yourself. * /John listened to what everyone had to say in the discussion, but he kept his own counsel./ * /Although everybody gave Mrs. O'Connor advice about what to do with her house, she kept her own counsel./

[keep one's shirt on] <v. phr.>, <slang> To calm down; keep from losing your temper or getting impatient or excited. * /Bob got very angry when John accidentally bumped into him, but John told him to keep his shirt on./ - Usually used as a command; may be considered impolite. * /John said to Bob, "Keep your shirt on."/ Contrast: GET ONE'S DANDER UP.

[keep one's temper] See: HOLD ONE'S TEMPER.

[keep one's weather eye open] See: WEATHER EYE.

[keep one's wits about one] See: KEEP ONE'S HEAD.

[keep one's word] <v. phr.> To do what one has promised; fulfill one's promise. * /Paul kept his word and paid me the $250 that he owed me right on time./

[keep on the good side of] See: ON ONE'S GOOD SIDE.

[keep open house] <v. phr.> To offer hospitality and entertain those who come at any given time on a certain day or afternoon. * /Beth and Charlie have a cottage by the lake where they keep open house on Saturday afternoons during the summer./

[keep out (of)] <v. phr.> 1. To stay out; remain out of. * /The sign on the fence said, "Danger! Keep out!"/ 2. To stave off; not allow in. * /The border patrol near El Paso, Texas, is trying to keep illegal immigrants out of the United States./

[keep pace] <v. phr.> To go as fast; go at the same rate; not get behind. * /When they go for a walk, Johnny has to take long steps to keep pace with his father./ * /When Billy was moved to a more advanced class, he had to work hard to keep pace./ Compare: KEEP UP(2a).

[keep plugging along] <v. phr.>, <informal> To continue to work diligently and with great effort, often against hardship. * /Bob was not particularly talented but he kept plugging along year after year, and eventually became vice president./

[keeps] See: FOR KEEPS.

[keep step with] <v. phr.> To maintain the same degree of progress as someone else. * /The United States has no choice but to keep step with potential enemies in terms of modern defense systems./

[keep tab on] or [keep tabs on] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To keep a record of. * /The government tries to keep tabs on all the animals in the park./ 2. To keep a watch on; check. * /The house mother kept tabs on the girls to be sure they were clean and neat./ Compare: KEEP TRACK OF.

[keep the ball rolling] <v. phr.>, <informal> To keep up an activity or action; not allow something that is happening to slow or stop. * /Clyde kept the ball rolling at the party by dancing with a lamp shade on his head./ Compare: GET THE BALL ROLLING.

[keep the faith] <v. phr.> To not abandon hope; stay committed to the cause of democracy and racial equality. * /"Keep the faith, Baby," my neighbor said as he raised his fingers to show the "V" for victory sign./

[keep the home fires burning] <v. phr.> To keep things going as usual while someone is away; wait at home to welcome someone back. * /While John was in the army, Mary kept the home fires burning./

[keep the wolf (wolves) from the door] <v. phr.> To avoid hunger, poverty, and/or creditors. * /"I don't like my job," Mike complained, "but I must do something to keep the wolves from the door."/ Compare: KEEP BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER.