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A small compartment in a desk or case for the keeping of letters, documents, etc.; -- so called from the resemblance of a row of them to the compartments in a dovecote. Burke.

A keeper of a turnpike gate. T. Hughes.

y little. And not a year but pilfers as he goes Some youthful grace that age would gladly keep. Cowper.

One who impounds; a poundkeeper. [Obs.]

especially, the grave, or hades. Back to the infernal pit I drag thee chained. Milton. He keepth back his soul from the pit. Job xxxiii. 18.

ure; a custom. The simple plan, That they should take who have the power, And they should keep who can. Wordsworth. Body plan, Floor plan, etc. See under Body, Floor, etc.

ly, a portion of flat, even ground. This flowery plat, the sweet recess of Eve. Milton. I keep smooth plat of fruitful ground. Tennyson.

To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it. To play off, to display; to show; to put in exercise; as, to play off tricks. -- To play one's cards, to manage one's means or opportunities; to contrive. -- Played out, tired out; exhausted; at the end of one's resources. [Colloq.]

eld by him until the debt is paid out of the rents and profits. -- To hold in pledge, to keep as security. -- To put in pledge, to pawn; to give as security.

The keeper of a cattle pound; a pinder. [Obs. or Scot.] T. Adams.

To keep in order by police.

A man who has charge of a door or gate; a doorkeeper; one who waits at the door to receive messages. Shak. To him the porter openeth. John x. 3.

The work of a porter; the occupation of a carrier or of a doorkeeper.

To occupy in person; to hold or actually have in one's own keeping; to have and to hold. Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. Jer. xxxii. 15. Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power, After offense returning, to regain Love once possessed. Milton.

ay as possible. -- To travel post, to travel, as a post does, by relays of horses, or by keeping one carriage to which fresh horses are attached at each stopping place.

ious in conduct or ceremony; formal; ceremonious. Addison. He was ever precise in promise-keeping. Shak.

The act or process of preserving, or keeping safe; the state of being preserved, or kept from injury, destruction, or decay; security; safety; as, preservation of life, fruit, game, etc.; a picture in good preservation. Give us particulars of thy preservation. Shak.

Having the power or quality of preserving; tending to preserve, or to keep from injury, decay, etc.

To keep or save from injury or destruction; to guard or defend from evil, harm, danger, etc.; to protect. O Lord, thou preserved man and beast. Ps. xxxvi. 6. Now, good angels preserve the king. Shak.

An upright case or closet for the safe keeping of articles; as, a clothes press. Shak.