Keep on keep on & keeps on keeping on kept on kept on

1. keep on p.v. When you keep on doing something, you continue doing it.

I told her to be quiet, but she just kept right on talking.

Don't stop — keep on going.

2. keep... on p.v. When you keep people on at their place of employment, you con­tinue to employ them.

The company decided against laying all the workers off and will instead keep a few on to maintain equipment until business improves.

Everyone on the hotel staff was fired after the hotel went out of business, except for two guys who were kept on to clean and paint the building.

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1. keep... to p.v. When you keep information to yourself, you do not tell anyone.

This is a secret, so keep it to yourself.

I wish she would keep her racist comments to herself; I don't want to hear them.

2. keep... to p.v. When you keep something to a certain cost, quantity, or amount, you do not let the cost, quantity, or amount go higher than that level.

Here's my credit card, but keep your spending to a minimum — don't go crazy with it.

The room doesn't hold a great many people, so we have to keep the number of guests to 200.

3. keep to p.v. When you keep to the right or left, you continue moving to the right or left.

When you pass a big red barn on the highway, keep to the right; the exit is right after the barn.

Faster cars are supposed to keep to the left.