keep

Keep is a polysemous term in English with both generic and specific uses. As a verb, keep means to retain, preserve, or continue to have something, as in keep a secret or keep going. It also carries senses of guarding, protecting, or maintaining something in a desired state, and can appear in phrases such as safekeeping and keeping watch. As a noun, keep can refer to the act of keeping things or to a person who keeps or guards them.

In historical architecture, the keep is the central, often tallest, fortified tower within a castle or fortress. It served as the last line of defense and as the primary residence of the lord or ruler. Features typically included thick, vertical walls, limited access, and storage or living spaces. The keep is commonly connected to other defensive works like curtain walls and gatehouses, but its presence, size, and function varied across regions and periods. In some languages and traditions, the term donjon is used for a similar structure.

The word is also widely used in modern contexts as a proper noun. Google Keep is a note-taking service by Google, introduced in 2013, enabling users to create, organize, and synchronize notes across devices. The Keep is also the title of a 1983 film directed by Michael Mann, adapted from the 1981 novel by F. Paul Wilson; the work is a blend of horror and fantasy with a fortress setting that evokes the traditional idea of a keep. The term continues to appear in various media and product names, often invoking notions of containment, retention, or protection.