keep up

What does "keep up" mean?

1. To continue doing something at the same rate or level
2. To maintain something in good condition
3. To prevent someone from sleeping
4. To stay informed about something

Examples

• Keep up the good work!
• It's hard to keep up when they walk so fast.
• The noise from the party kept me up all night.
• She keeps up her French by reading French novels.
• I try to keep up with the latest technology trends.

How to use it

'Keep up the good work' is standard encouragement. 'Keep up' alone means to maintain pace with others. 'Keep up appearances' means to maintain a facade of normality.

Word order

For maintaining: separable ('keep your spirits up'). For preventing sleep: separable ('the noise kept me up'). For staying level: intransitive.

Similar expressions

Opposites

Related phrasal verbs

• keep on

  To continue doing something

• keep out

  To prevent someone or something from entering

• keep away

  To not go near someone or something

• keep off

  To not walk on or touch something

• keep up with

  To stay at the same level or pace as someone or something

• keep back

  To stay at a distance; to not come closer