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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.]

. The grave abound in pleasantries, the dull in repartees and points of wit. Addison. The keen observation and ironical pleasantry of a finished man of the world. Macaulay.

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.

Fig.: Pointed; keen; satirical. His wit . . . became more lively and poignant. Sir W. Scott.

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

Having no point; blunt; wanting keenness; obtuse; as, a pointless sword; a pointless remark.

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.

Done with hold design, rash confidence, or in violation of known duty; willful. "Keep back the servant also from presumptuous sins." Ps. xix. 13.