Verb

(lb) To take illegally, or without the owner's permission, something owned by someone else.

:

*

*

*:"I was dragged up at the workhouse school till I was twelve. Then I ran away and sold papers in the streets, and anything else that I could pick up a few coppers by—except steal'. I never did that. I always made up my mind I'd be a big man some day, and—I'm glad I didn't ' steal ."

To appropriate without giving credit or acknowledgement.

:

(lb) To get or effect surreptitiously or artfully.

:

*(Isaac Watts) (1674-1748)

*:Variety of objects has a tendency to steal away the mind from its steady pursuit of any subject.

*(Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)

*:Always, when thou changest thine opinion or course, profess it plainly,and do not think to steal it.

*

To acquire at a low price.

:

(lb) To draw attention unexpectedly in (an entertainment), especially by being the outstanding performer. Usually used in the phrase steal the show.

(lb) To move silently or secretly.

:

*1922 , (Virginia Woolf), (w, Jacob's Room) Ch.1:

*:"Did he take his bottle well?" Mrs. Flanders whispered, and Rebecca nodded and went to the cot and turned down the quilt, and Mrs. Flanders bent over and looked anxiously at the baby, asleep, but frowning. The window shook, and Rebecca stole like a cat and wedged it.

*{{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 23, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC Sport

, title= Man Utd 1-6 Man City , passage=United's hopes of mounting a serious response suffered a blow within two minutes of the restart when Evans, who had endured a miserable afternoon, lost concentration and allowed Balotelli to steal in behind him. The defender's only reaction was to haul the Italian down, resulting in an inevitable red card.}}

To withdraw or convey (oneself) clandestinely.

*(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)

*:They could insinuate and steal themselves under the same by their humble carriage and submission.

*(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)

*:He will steal himself into a man's favour.

To advance safely to (another base) during the delivery of a pitch, without the aid of a hit, walk, passed ball, wild pitch, or defensive indifference.

To dispossess

*{{quote-news, year=2011, date=February 12, author=Les Roopanarine, work=BBC

, title= Birmingham 1-0 Stoke , passage=However, until Gardner stole the ball from Dean Whitehead in the centre circle with the half-hour approaching, setting off on a run which culminated with a testing long-range shot - with debutant Obafemi Martins lurking, Begovic gathered at the second time of asking - Stoke looked the more credible contenders to break the deadlock.}}

Verb

To continue in (a course or mode of action); not to intermit or fall from; to maintain.

:

*(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)

*:Both day and night did we keep company.

*(Tobias Smollett) (1721–1771)

*:within the portal as I kept my watch

To hold the status of something.

#To maintain possession of.

#:

#To maintain the condition of.

#:

#:

#*

, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=10 , passage=Mr. Cooke had had a sloop?yacht built at Far Harbor, the completion of which had been delayed, and which was but just delivered.

#*{{quote-book, year=1935, author= George Goodchild

, title=Death on the Centre Court, chapter=1 , passage=She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill.}}

#(lb) To record transactions, accounts, or events in.

#:

#(lb) To enter (accounts, records, etc.) in a book.

#(label) To remain in, to be confined to.

#*1605 , (William Shakespeare), (King Lear) , III.ii,

#*:The wrathful skies / Gallow the very wanderers of the dark / And make them keep their caves.

#To restrain.

#:

# To watch over, look after, guard, protect.

#:

#*1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , II.viii:

#*:cursse on thy cruell hond, / That twise hath sped; yet shall it not thee keepe / From the third brunt of this my fatall brond.

#To supply with necessities and financially support a person.

#:

#(lb) To raise; to care for.

#:

#*1914 , Robert Joos, Success with Hens , Forbes & company, p.217:

#*:Of course boys are boys and need watching, but there is little watching necessary when they keep chickens.

#*{{quote-news, year=2011, date=December 14, author=Steven Morris, work=(The Guardian), title= Devon woman jailed for 168 days for killing kitten in microwave

, passage=Jailing her on Wednesday, magistrate Liz Clyne told Robins: "You have shown little remorse either for the death of the kitten or the trauma to your former friend Sarah Knutton." She was also banned from keeping animals for 10 years.}}

#To maintain (an establishment or institution); to conduct; to manage.

#*(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)

#*:like a pedant that keeps a school

#*Sir (c.1564-1627)

#*:They were honourably brought to London, where every one of them kept house by himself.

#*

#*:At half-past nine on this Saturday evening, the parlour of the Salutation Inn, High Holborn, contained most of its customary visitors.In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.

#To have habitually in stock for sale.

To hold or be held in a state.

#(lb) To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.

#:

#*(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)

#*:Knock at his study, where, they say, he keeps .

#To continue.

#:

#*, chapter=22

, title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=Not unnaturally, “Auntie” took this communication in bad part.

#*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)

, volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Our banks are out of control , passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic

#To remain edible or otherwise usable.

#:

#:

#*1707 , John Mortimer], ''[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=8xUAAAAAQAAJ&redir_esc=y The Whole Art of Husbandry

#*:If the malt be not thoroughly dried, the ale it makes will not keep .

#(lb) To remain in a state.

#:

#:

(lb) To wait for, keep watch for.

*:

*:And thenne whan the damoysel knewe certaynly that he was not syre launcelot / thenne she took her leue and departed from hym / And thenne syre Trystram rode pryuely vnto the posterne where kepte hym la beale Isoud / and there she made hym good chere and thanked god of his good spede

To act as wicket-keeper.

:

To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.

*(William Tyndale) (1494-1536)

*:Keep that the lusts choke not the word of God that is in us.

To be in session; to take place.

:

(lb) To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; not to swerve from or violate.

*Bible, iv. 7

*:I have kept the faith.

*(John Milton) (1608-1674)

*:Him whom to love is to obey, and keep / His great command.

To confine oneself to; not to quit; to remain in.

:

To visit (a place) often; to frequent.

* (1579-1625)

*:'Tis hallowed ground; / Fairies, and fawns, and satyrs do it keep .