keep body and soul together • keep oneself together keep body and soul together —manage to survive; keep oneself alive: They get poor as snakes on such food; but it does keep body and soul together for a while. keep oneself together—(also: hold oneself together) keep one’s composure; maintain one’s good sense: I don’t know if I can keep myself together through another horrible day like this one. keep company with someone • keep someone company keep company with someone—socialize habitually with a per- son: She could not approve of a young woman keeping com - pany with men, without the permission of father or mother. keep someone company—accompany smb. or stay with a per- son: In fall, she tramped the woods watching for squirrels. Candy, her dog, often kept her company . keep good hours • keep good time keep good hours —get up and go to bed early: As a rule they keep good hours , but most of them will read an hour or two before going to sleep. keep good time —1. (of a clock or watch) show the hour cor- rectly: The clock is in good working order, keeping good time . 2. be habitually punctual: She keeps good time , is prepared for work and, above all, is a responsible person. 3. (Music) fol- low the rhythm correctly: Drummer Farnsworth doesn’t try to compete with the rumble of Earland’s organ; instead, he keeps good time . keep in touch with someone • keep in with someone keep in touch with someone—be in regular communication with smb.: An undergraduate is assigned to a “moral tutor” who undertakes to keep in touch with him. keep in with someone—(coll.) remain on good terms with smb. (usually to gain some advantage from the person): We’ll have to keep in with her in case we can’t ever pay the rent. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase keep up with someone—remain level with a person in some respect: You’re free to work at a pace that suits you, which means not having to keep up with others. keep it down • keep it up keep it down —be quiet; make no noise: And please keep it down , will you? I’m listening to Bird! Have some respect! keep it up —continue doing smth.: This guy needs to be on drugs, and if he keeps it up he will be back in prison. keep off something • keep something off keep off something—1. remain at a distance from smth.: In an election which seems to have been fair, the Spanish police kept off the streets. 2. prevent smth. from coming near or happening: The ships were wintered by dismantling the rig- gings and covering the hulls with planks to keep off the snow. 3. avoid mentioning a particular subject: They have all along been on the aggressive. It has been their way of keeping off the question of the Papal authority. 4. refrain from smth.: It should become standard practice to have someone as the eve- ning’s designated driver, that person agreeing to keep off alco- hol. keep something off— = keep off something 2: The idea is that you would have a simple shelter that goes over your driveway to keep the snow off . keep on with something • keep up with something keep on with something—continue doing smth., especially in spite of danger, difficulties, etc.: For months he has been talking of giving up smoking, but he still keeps on with it. keep up with something —remain level with smth.; keep pace with smth.: Even professional politicians have a struggle to keep up with the changes in public opinion. keep one’s balance • keep the balance keep one’s balance—1. keep from falling; remain standing: He slipped on the grass and as he stumbled forward, desper- ately trying to keep his balance , he ran into a tree. 2. retain one’s ability to exercise control: Now that a reaction is setting in, Mr. Gorbachev is leaning back towards the conservatives to keep his balance . 3. keep calm; not become emotionally upset: You know when you keep your sense of humor you also keep your balance . 4. compromise between smth.; find a mid- dle course: Like other Arab leaders, Gadaffi tries to keep his balance between the “Arab street” and Uncle Sam. keep the balance—1. = keep one’s balance 1: Because of the mud I had to put my feet just above the ground ready to put them down to keep the balance when I slipped away. 2. = keep one’s balance 4: Lewis was a tutor who tried to keep the balance between amiability and his duty to the pupils to give them sufficient preparation. 3. maintain the condition of equilib- rium between opposing forces: Germany must be aware that it has to keep the balance in Europe, Mr. Mitterrand said. 4. keep the change from money offered in payment: Pay yourself for the bottle of wine out of this, and keep the balance . keep one’s eyes open • open someone’s eyes keep one’s eyes open—be watchful and alert: During the three weeks I stayed in Dar-es-Salaam, keeping my eyes open , I was hard put to find evidence of Chinese influence. open someone’s eyes—make a person acutely aware of the truth of a situation: Attending Harvard only served to open her eyes to a whole new range of inequalities that exist in society. Cf.: eye opener — a startling or shocking revelation: It was a real eye- opener for the adults. The ease that the children displayed with the technology was enough to amaze even a veteran. See also: with one’s eyes closed / with one’s eyes open. keep one’s face • lose one’s face keep one’s face—(also: keep a straight face) refrain from show- ing one’s feelings by one’s facial expression: The performance was so absurd that I could hardly keep my face . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase save one’s face(also: save face) avoid being disgraced or humiliated: If he represented a first-class paper and wished to “save his face ” he had better travel in state. lose one’s face—(also: lose face) damage one’s reputation; lose people’s respect: He is such a powerful and important man he can not afford to lose his face . keep one’s feet • keep one’s feet on the ground keep one’s feet—keep one’s balance; remain standing: As he was leaving, he stumbled on the stairs but was able to keep his feet . keep one’s feet on the ground—(also: have one’s feet on the ground) have a sensible and realistic attitude to life: When the other band members tend to lose touch with reality, he makes sure everyone keeps his feet on the ground . keep one’s hair • keep one’s hair on keep one’s hair—not become bald: He considers himself to have been lucky during the early stages of the disease: no sick- ness, and he kept his hair until quite recently. keep one’s hair on—(coll.) not lose one’s temper; remain calm: His annoyance evaporated in a grin. “You’re right. She’s got a tough job. I’ll try to keep my hair on in future.” keep one’s hand in • keep one’s hands off keep one’s hand in—exercise repeatedly in order to be in keep body and soul together – 204 –