"hold" vs "keep"

[Guest]

Dear Sir, could you explain the difference between "hold" and "keep", or is it the same thing as with "make" and "do", where we have to just memorize which goes with what?

[Conchita]

To hold is to have in your hand, etc.: you hold the ladder for me; he held the baby in his arms.

To keep is to continue to have, to possess: he’s kept my book; can I keep the receipt?

[Jamie (K)]

Conchita is basically right, but hold and keep also have other meanings, and sometimes the dictionary definition of hold contains the word keep.

The police can hold a prisoner in detention, or they can keep a prisoner in detention.

I hold stock in some large companies. That means I keep the stock in my account.

You can hold a party, which means that you can organize and conduct a party. Similarly, you can hold a concert.

Keep has a similar multitude of meanings.

I would suggest that you look at the Longman Online Dictionary (http://www.ldoceonline.com). It has all of the meanings of each word, and it gives good examples.

With words like these -- words that have so many meanings -- I think you're best to memorize them in phrases and sentences, so you have examples of all the meanings. Then you can start to "feel" them.

[Alan]

Hi,

You might like to look also at some material I've written on hold. You can click here: Phrasal Verb Story: On Hold.

It might help

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Passive Voice

[Guest]

Thank you, your forum is really helpful, I guess I will be a regular visitor)) thanks a lot!!