Chapter Kayward to Kennel of K by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

a discussion;" to maintain, as, "to keep up one's courage;" to continue pari passu, as "Keep up with the rest."

Keep at Arm's Length (To). To prevent another from being too familiar.

Keep Body and Soul Together (To). To struggle to maintain life; to continue life. Thus we say, "It is as much as I can do to keep body and soul together;" and "To keep body and soul together" we did so and so.

Keep Company with (To). To associate with someone of another sex with a view of marriage. The phrase is almost confined to household servants and persons of a similar status.

Keep Good Hours (To). To retire to bed somewhat early. To keep bad hours is to sit up late at night.

Keep it Dark Keep it as a secret; hide it from public sight or knowledge; do not talk about it.

Keep One's Countenance (To). To refrain from laughing; to preserve one's gravity.

Keep One's Own Counsel (To). To be reticent of one's own affairs or plans.

Keep your Breath to Cool your Porridge Look after your own affairs, and do not put your spoke in another person's wheel. Husband your strength to keep your own state safe and well, and do not waste it on matters in which you have really no concern. Don't scold or rail at me, but look at home.

Keep your Powder Dry
Keep prepared for action; keep your courage up.

"Go forth and conquer, Strephon mine,
This kiss upon your lips retaining;
A precept that is also thine
For bids the teardrop hot and straining.
Were Mars and Venus, you and I,
And both must `keep our powder dry.' "
Sims: Dagonet Ballads (In Love and War).

Keepers A staff of men employed by Irish landlords in 1843, etc., to watch the crops and prevent their being smuggled off during the night. They were resisted by the Molly Maguires.

Kehama A Hindu rajah who obtains and sports with supernatural powers. (Southey: Curse of Kehama.)

Kelpie or Kelpy. A spirit of the waters in the form of a horse, in Scottish mythology. Not unlike the Irish Phooka. (See Fairy.)

"Every lake has its Kelpie or Water-horse, often seen by the shepherd sitting upon the brow of a rock, dashing along the surface of the deep, or browsing upon the pasture on its verge." - Graham: Sketches of Perthshire.

Kelso Convoy (A). A step and a half over the door-stone or threshold.

"It's no expected your honour suld leave the land; it's just a Kelso convoy, a step and a half ower the door stane." - Sir W. Scott: The Antiquary, chap. xxx.

Kema The books containing the secrets of the genii, who, infatuated with love, revealed the marvels of nature to men, and were banished out of heaven. According to some etymologists, the word chemistry is derived from this word. (Zozime Panopolite.)

Kempfer-Hausen The nom de plume of Robert Pearce Gillies, one of the speakers in the Noctes Ambrosia'næ. (Blackwood's Magazine.)

Kempis The authorship of the work entitled De Imitatione Christi, has afforded as much controversy as the author of Letters of Junius. In 1604, a Spanish Jesuit discovered a manuscript copy by the Abbot John Gersen or Gesen; and since then three competitors have had angry and wordy defenders, viz. Thomas à Kempis, J. Charlier de Gerson, Chancellor of the University of Paris, and the Abbot Gersen. M. Malou gives his verdict in favour of the first.