keep out

English

Verb

keep out (third-person singular simple present keeps out, present participle keeping out, simple past and past participle kept out)

1. (intransitive) To refrain from entering a place or condition.

   After being warned, he kept out.

2. (transitive) To restrain someone or something from entering a place or condition.

   Antonyms: let in, lock in

   Hyponym: lock out

   The warning kept him out.

   • 2013 June 1, “End of the peer show”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 71:

     Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms. […] Banks and credit-card firms are kept out of the picture. Talk to enough people in the field and someone is bound to mention the “democratisation of finance”.

3. (African-American Vernacular) To dress up
   • 1996, Lil' Kim (lyrics and music), “Not Tonight”:

     Put me in Chanels, kept me out nice

Usage notes

Often seen, as imperative, on a sign posted as an attempt to prevent entry or access to a place.

Translations

refrain from entering

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Danish: ingen adgang
• Dutch: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: pysyä ulkona, pysytellä ulkona
• French: please add this translation if you can
• Polish: nie zbliżać się

restrain someone or something

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Danish: please add this translation if you can
• Dutch: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: pitää kaukana
• French: please add this translation if you can

See also

• no admittance
• no trespassing
• stay away

Anagrams

• outkeep