keep on
phrasal verb·4 senses·particle on
Meanings
Continue wearing
Why “on”? Clothing makes contact with the body. Putting it on covers the surface.
“Please keep your shoes on.”
“Keep your coat on inside the cold hall.”
Continue doing something repeatedly
Why “on”? Sliding forward along the surface. Motion that keeps going on and on.
“She kept on talking.”
“The dog kept on barking through the night.”
“Keep on trying, you'll get it.”
Continue to employ someone
“They kept her on after the trial.”
“They kept him on after the cafe changed owners.”
Continue talking about something annoyingly
“He kept on at me about the car.”
“She kept on at me about the dishes.”
Don't confuse with
Keep on means continue wearing. Keep in means force someone to stay indoors as punishment.
Keep on means continue wearing. Keep up means continue at the same level or rate.
Keep on means continue wearing. Keep together means continue to control your feelings.
Test yourself
“Please keep your shoes on.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
keep in
A contrast learners often mix up
Force someone to stay indoors as punishment
keep together
A contrast learners often mix up
Continue to control your feelings
keep up
A contrast learners often mix up
Continue at the same level or rate; Move at the same speed as someone else; Stay informed about something current; Prevent someone from going to bed or sleeping; Prevent something from falling down; Maintain pretences, an appearance or a habit; Match the social or financial standard of others
bring on
Same on pattern: continuation
Cause something, especially an illness or feeling, to start; Help someone or something develop or improve
call on
Same on pattern: continuation
Ask someone to do something formally
carry on
Same on pattern: continuation
Continue doing something; Behave in a silly, loud or annoying way; Have a romantic affair, often secretly
catch on
Same on pattern: continuation
Become popular or fashionable; Begin to understand something
come on
Same on pattern: continuation
Used to encourage, hurry or challenge someone; Begin to develop, especially an illness or weather; Start working or be turned on; Make progress or improve; Try to start a romantic or sexual relationship with someone; Be broadcast on television or radio
Practice “keep on” in Sink In
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