Learn English - 5 'KEEP' Idioms

Hi, guys. I'm Alex. Thanks for clicking, and welcome to this lesson on idioms with "keep".

So in this lesson, we will look at five very common idioms which all use the word "keep"

in some way, and just like my lessons on idioms with "out", you have some definitions at the

bottom. So you can try and figure out the meaning of the idiom if you have never heard

it before. So let's begin. The first sentence says, "Don't trust him.

He never keeps his word." Now, I know in some other languages you probably have a similar

idiom already. So if you can translate this from your own language, or if you can try

and guess what the meaning of "keeping your word" is, I think you can guess the definition.

So is it "to remember and think about something" or "to watch for the arrival or appearance

of someone or something"? "Is it to uphold a promise"? Yeah, that's right. It is "to

uphold a promise". Okay, so No. 1, if you can keep a promise, you can "keep your word".

So if I say, "I always keep my word. Don't worry." That means I always keep my promises.

If I say I will do something, I do it. Okay. No. 2, "Keep me posted about your decision."

So again, imagine that you are somebody who is giving a job to someone, and you offer

them a new position, and they say, "Well, I need a few days to think about it." And

if you say, "Keep me posted about your decision", this means, "Make sure that I know" or "Give

me information." "Make sure -- keep me updated." So this means -- what do you think? "Keep

someone informed", right. So if you "keep someone posted" about something, it means

you keep them informed -- give them regular updates. They always know what's happening,

okay? The next one, "Keep an eye out for a red van."

So imagine that you are at the airport, and maybe you called a friend, and the friend

said, "Okay, I'll pick you up in 30 minutes." And you're with someone who doesn't know your

friend. So you tell this person, "Keep an eye out for a red van." We're looking for

a red van so we can go home from the airport. Well, if you're "keeping an eye out", what

are you doing? You're "watching for the arrival or appearance of something or someone", okay?

So again, think about it logically: "Keep an eye out." So you're looking for something,

you're paying attention. So, "keep an eye out" for -- if you have a friend, and you're

expecting their arrival. Or "Keep an eye out for Josh" or John or whoever it is.

Okay, guys, No. 4 says, "She can never keep a straight face -- keep a straight face -- when

she talks to her boss." Maybe her boss is a funny guy, or maybe she always feels that

-- well, maybe she doesn't like her boss and she wants to laugh in his face for some reason.

So if you "keep a straight face", this means that you keep yourself from laughing. You

hold your laughter inside because in this situation, maybe it's not appropriate to laugh.

So if you can -- "remember and think about something"? No. You "keep your face from laughing".

Sorry about that. There we go. Okay. So what are some situations where you have to "keep

a straight face"? Anything where it's serious or formal. If you're at a funeral, number

one, you generally have to "keep a straight face", be serious, not laugh. If you want

to be sarcastic towards your friends and make them believe something, you might want to

say something with a "straight face". And they're like, "Really?" And if you laugh,

they know you're lying, or you're trying to play a trick or a joke on them.

Okay, finally, we have, "If you need an extra person on the team, keep me in mind." There's

only one left, so "remember and think about something". So if you "keep someone in mind"

-- you can keep something or someone "in mind". If you keep a person "in mind" for something,

it means that you're remembering them or thinking about them based on whatever decision you're

trying to make or based on whatever the situation is. You can also keep something "in mind",

not only a person "in mind". So if I say -- okay, let's say that we make plans, and you're normally

late. You're a person who's usually late, but for this movie -- let's imagine that it's

the opening day of the movie, and you can't be late or you will not get a seat. So your

friend tells you, "Keep in mind that it's the opening night." "Remember. Keep in mind

it's the opening night. Be there early. You have to."

Okay, guys, so to review, if someone "keeps his or her word", it means that they can uphold

a promise. If you "keep someone posted", you keep them informed of what's going on. "Keep

an eye out" -- pay attention to or for the appearance or arrival of something. If you

"keep a straight face", that means that you stop yourself from laughing. And if you "keep

something or someone in mind", it means that you remember them or think about them in a

given situation. So if you'd like to test your understanding

of these idioms a little more, as always, you can check out the quiz on www.engvid.com,

and please subscribe to my channel on YouTube. Take care, guys, and good luck.