keep track of

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

keep /kip/   v., kept, keep•ing, n. 
v. 

1. to hold or cause to remain in one's possession:
   [~ + object] kept the change from a ten-dollar bill.
2. to hold or cause to remain in a given place;
   put or store:
   [~ + object] I keep the car in the garage.
3. to (cause to) continue or stay in a certain position, state, course, condition, or action: [~ + object + verb-ing]
   to keep a light burning.
   [~ + verb-ing]
   I kept trying to reach her by phone.
   [~ (+ object) + adjective]
   Keep the children quiet during the ceremony.
   [~ + object + verb-ed/-en]
   You have to keep your lawn mowed in that neighborhood.
   [~ + object]
   vowed to keep his silence.
4. to maintain or cause to stay fresh or in usable or edible condition;
   (cause to) be preserved: [~ + object]
   to keep meat by freezing it.
   [no object]
   How long will this meat keep in hot weather?
5. to cause to stay or remain in a particular place;
   detain:
   [~ + object] They kept me in prison for days.
6. to remain in (a place, spot, etc.);
   stay: [~ + object]
   Please keep your seats.
   [no object]
   Keep off the grass.
7. to have readily available for use or sale:
   [~ + object] to keep machine parts in stock.
8. to maintain in one's service or for one's use:
   [~ + object] She can no longer afford to keep a car and a driver.
9. to associate with:
   [~ + object] to keep bad company.
10. to (cause to) be held back from disclosing: [~ + object]
    keeping secrets.
    [no object]
    The rest of the story will have to keep until the next time.
11. to withhold, as from use;
    reserve;
    save:
    [~ + object] to keep the best wine for guests.
12. to restrain or prevent, as from an action: [~ + object + from + verb-ing]
    to keep the warmth from escaping.
    [~ + oneself + from + verb-ing]
    couldn't keep herself from smiling.
    [~ + from + verb-ing]
    Can you keep from smiling?
13. to control;
    maintain:
    [~ + object] police officers keeping the peace.
14. to maintain by writing;
    to record regularly:
    [~ + object] to keep a diary.
15. to observe;
    obey or fulfill:
    [~ + object] She always keeps her promises.
16. to observe (a season, festival, etc.) with formalities or rites:
    [~ + object] to keep Christmas.
17. to maintain;
    manage:
    [~ + object] to keep a small grocery store.
18. to guard;
    protect:
    [~ + object] He kept her from harm.
19. to maintain or support:
    [~ + object] Can you keep a family on those wages?
20. to maintain one's position in or on:
    [~ + object] to keep a job.
21. to continue to follow a path, course, etc.:
    [no object] Keep on this road; keep left.
22. keep at, to (cause to) continue (working, etc.);
    persevere in: [~ + at + object]
    She just kept at the task.
    [~ + object + at + object]
    The boss kept us at it all night.
23. keep back:
    • to hold in check;
      restrain: [~ + object + back]
      The police kept the crowd back.
      [~ + back + object]
      They kept back the crowd.
    • [no object] to stay away from:
      The firefighters at first kept back from the fire.
    • to withhold;
      not to tell: [~ + object + back]
      Don't keep any information back.
      [~ + back + object]
      She's keeping back the news from us.
24. keep down:
    • to maintain at an acceptable level;
      control: [~ + object + down]
      The store kept the temperature down.
      [~ + down + object]
      They kept down the temperature.
    • to prevent from advancing or flourishing: [~ + object + down]
      It's hard to keep a good person down.
      [~ + down + object]
      The company shouldn't keep down dedicated workers.
    • to avoid vomiting (food): [~ + down + object]
      The patient managed to keep down the meal.
      [~ + object + down]
      wondered if he could keep it down.
25. keep on, [~ + on + verb-ing] to continue;
    persist:
    The train kept right on going.
26. keep to, [~ + to + object]
    • to obey;
      conform to;
      go along with:
      to keep to the rules.
    • to confine oneself to:
      to keep to one's bed.
27. keep up:
    • [~ + up + with + object] to perform as swiftly or successfully as others:
      She easily kept up with the rest of the runners.
    • to persevere;
      continue: [~ + up + object]
      kept up a continuous groaning.
      [~ + up (+ with) + object]
      kept up (with) the payments; told her to keep up the good work.
      [no object]
      How long will that horrible music keep up?
    • [~ + up + object] to maintain in good condition or repair:
      He liked to keep up old cars.
    • [~ + up + with + object] to stay informed:
      He kept up with all the latest sports events.

n. [countable]

28. the cost of food and a place to live or stay;
    subsistence;
    support:
    [usually singular] had to work for his keep.
29. the innermost and strongest structure or central tower of a medieval castle;
    dungeon.

Idioms

30. Idioms for keeps:
    • , Idioms with the understanding that winnings are retained by the winner:
      playing poker for keeps.
    • with serious intent or purpose:
      We're all in this effort for keeps.
    • permanently;
      forever.
31. Idioms keep to oneself:
    • to remain apart from the society of others.
    • [~ + object + to + oneself] to hold (something) as secret or not to be told to another:
      You can't keep that information to yourself any longer.
      [~ + to + oneself + object]
      Keep to yourself any information you receive.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

track /træk/   n. 

1. Rail Transport [countable] a pair of parallel lines of rails on which a railroad train, trolley, or the like runs.
2. evidence that something has passed:
   [countable] the tracks of my tears.
3. Usually, tracks. [plural]  marks left by an animal, person, or vehicle:
   [countable] You can see the tracks where the deer crossed the stream.
4. a path made by or as if by the feet of people or animals;
   trail:
   [countable] a track through the woods to the river.
5. a line of travel or of motion:
   [countable] The track of the spy satellite takes it over our airfield in just a few moments.
6. Sport
   • [countable] a course laid out for running or racing:
     The school spent millions on a new track.
   • [uncountable] the group of sports performed on such a course, as running or hurdling.
7. [countable]
   • Sound Reproduction one of the parallel recording surfaces extending along the length of a magnetic tape.
   • Sound Reproduction band² (def. 5).
   • Sound Reproduction material recorded on a track (def. 7a) that is combined with other parts of a musical recording to produce a final version.
8. Computing [countable] one of a number of rings on the surface of a floppy disk along which data are recorded.
9. Slang Terms tracks, [plural] needle marks on the skin of a drug user, caused by injections.
10. Furniture [countable] a metal strip along which something, as a curtain, can be mounted or moved.
11. Education a program of study or the level of courses to which a student is assigned on the basis of skill or need;
    an academic course or path:
    [countable] the college track.

v. [~ + object]

12. to follow or pursue the track of:
    The dogs tracked the fox to its hole.
13. to leave footprints on:
    to track the floor with muddy shoes.
14. to make a trail of footprints with (dirt, etc.):
    to track mud on the floor.
15. Aeronautics to follow the course of (an aircraft, etc.), as by radar, etc.:
    The gunner tracked the incoming fighter.
16. to follow the course of progress of:
    We have been tracking your progress.
17. track down, to pursue until caught or captured;
    follow: [~ + object + down]
    I promised to track Smith down and kill him.
    [~ + down + object]
    I promised to track down the traitor and kill him.

Idioms

18. Idioms keep track, to remain aware;
    keep informed: [no object]
    There are too many things to do; I can't keep track.
    [~ + of + object]
    I can't keep track of all those employees.
19. Idioms lose track, to fail to keep informed or aware: [no object]
    I keep losing track; are we on page 1055 or 1056?
    [~ + of + object]
    I lost track of how many disks my computer destroyed.
20. Idioms make tracks, [Informal.] to hurry.
21. Idioms off the track, departing from the subject under discussion:
    We're off the track again; we have to come back to the topic.
22. Idioms on the track of, in search or pursuit of;
    close upon:
    The FBI is on the track of the gang.
23. Idioms the wrong (or right ) side of the tracks, the unfashionable, or lower-status (or fashionable, or higher-status) part of a city:
    He was a boy from the wrong side of the tracks.

track•a•ble, adj. 
track•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

keep  (kēp), v., kept, keep•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to hold or retain in one's possession;
   hold as one's own:
   If you like it, keep it. Keep the change.
2. to hold or have the use of for a period of time:
   You can keep it for the summer.
3. to hold in a given place;
   store:
   You can keep your things in here.
4. to maintain (some action), esp. in accordance with specific requirements, a promise, etc.:
   to keep watch; to keep step.
5. to cause to continue in a given position, state, course, or action:
   to keep a light burning; to keep a child happy.
6. to maintain in condition or order, as by care and labor:
   He keeps his car in good condition.
7. to maintain in usable or edible condition;
   preserve:
   If you want to keep meat for a long time, freeze it.
8. to hold in custody or under guard, as a prisoner:
   They kept him in jail.
9. to cause to stay in a particular place;
   prevent or restrain from departure:
   The work kept her at the office.
10. to have regularly in stock and for sale:
    to keep a large supply of machine parts.
11. to maintain in one's service or for one's use or enjoyment:
    to keep a car and chauffeur.
12. to associate with:
    She keeps bad company.
13. to have the care, charge, or custody of:
    She keeps my dog when I travel.
14. to refrain from disclosing;
    withhold from the knowledge of others:
    to keep a secret.
15. to withhold from use;
    reserve;
    save:
    I'll keep this toy until you learn to behave. Keep the good wine for company.
16. to hold back or restrain:
    They kept the child from talking. Nothing can keep him from doing it.
17. to maintain control of;
    regulate:
    to keep the peace; to keep your temper.
18. to maintain by writing:
    to keep a diary.
19. to record (business transactions, daily occurrences, etc.) regularly:
    to keep records; to keep a list of visitors.
20. to observe;
    pay obedient regard to (a law, rule, promise, etc.).
21. to conform to;
    follow;
    fulfill:
    to keep one's word.
22. to observe (a season, festival, etc.) with formalities or rites:
    to keep Christmas.
23. to maintain or carry on, as an establishment, business, etc.;
    manage.
24. to guard;
    protect:
    He kept her from harm.
25. to maintain or support:
    It costs more each year to keep a house.
26. to support or contribute to the support of in return for sexual or other favors.
27. to take care of;
    tend:
    to keep a vegetable garden.
28. Agriculture to raise (livestock):
    These farmers keep goats and cattle.
29. to remain in (a place, spot, etc.):
    Please keep your seats.
30. to maintain one's position in or on:
    He kept the job.
31. to continue to follow (a path, track, course, etc.).
32. to maintain in active existence, as an assembly, court, or fair.

v.i. 

33. to continue in an action, course, position, state, etc.:
    to keep in sight; to keep going.
34. to remain, or continue to be, as specified:
    to keep cool.
35. to remain or stay in a particular place:
    to keep indoors.
36. to continue unimpaired or without spoiling:
    The food will keep on ice.
37. to admit of being reserved for a future occasion:
    I have more to tell you, but it will keep.
38. to keep oneself or itself as specified (fol. by away, back, off, out, etc.):
    Keep off the grass.
39. to restrain oneself;
    refrain (usually fol. by from):
    Try to keep from smiling.
40. keep at, to persist in;
    be steadfast:
    You'll never master your French unless you keep at it.
41. keep back:
    • to hold in check;
      restrain:
      The dikes kept back the floodwaters.
    • to stay away from:
      The crowds would not keep back from the barrier.
    • to refuse to reveal:
      The prisoner was keeping back vital information.
42. Business keep books, to maintain financial records.
43. keep down:
    • to hold under control or at a reduced or acceptable level:
      to keep your voice down.
    • to prevent from going up or increasing:
      to keep prices down.
44. keep in with, to stay in someone's favor;
    be on good terms with:
    They are social climbers who make certain to keep in with all the right people.
45. keep on, to continue;
    persist:
    If you keep on singing they'll ask you to leave.
46. Idioms keep tab or tabs on. See tab ¹ (def. 11).
47. keep time. See time (def. 40).
48. keep to:
    • to adhere to;
      conform to:
      She keeps to the rules.
    • to confine oneself to:
      to keep to one's bed.
49. Idioms keep to oneself:
    • to remain aloof from the society of others.
    • to hold (something) as secret or confidential:
      I'll tell you only if you promise to keep it to yourself.
50. Idioms keep track of. See track (def. 22).
51. keep up:
    • to maintain an equal rate of speed, activity, or progress with another or others.
    • to persevere;
      continue.
    • to maintain the good condition of;
      keep in repair.
    • Also, keep up on or with. to stay informed:
      to keep up on current events.
    • to match one's friends, neighbors, business associates, etc., in success, affluence, etc.

n. 

52. board and lodging;
    subsistence;
    support:
    to work for one's keep.
53. the innermost and strongest structure or central tower of a medieval castle.
54. Games keeps, (used with a sing. v.) a game of marbles in which the players keep the marbles they have won.
55. Idioms for keeps, [Informal.]
    • under the stipulation that one keeps one's winnings.
    • with serious intent or purpose.
    • finally;
      permanently:
      They decided to settle the argument for keeps.

• bef. 1000; Middle English kepen, Old English cēpan to observe, heed, watch, await, take; perh. akin to Old English gecōp proper, fitting, capian to look, Old Norse kōpa to stare

keep′a•ble, adj. 
keep′a•bil′i•ty, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. Keep, reserve, retain, withhold refer to having and holding in possession.
  Keep (a common word) and retain (a more formal one) agree in meaning to continue to have or hold, as opposed to losing, parting with, or giving up:
  to keep a book for a week.
  To reserve is to keep for some future use, occasion, or recipient, or to hold back for a time:
  to reserve judgment.
  To withhold is generally to hold back altogether:
  to withhold help.
• 6. preserve.
• 8. detain, confine.
• 53. donjon, dungeon, stronghold.

Antonyms

• 8. release.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

track  (trak), n. 

1. a structure consisting of a pair of parallel lines of rails with their crossties, on which a railroad train, trolley, or the like runs.
2. a wheel rut.
3. evidence, as a mark or a series of marks, that something has passed.
4. Usually, tracks. footprints or other marks left by an animal, person, or vehicle:
   a lion's tracks; car tracks.
5. a path made or beaten by or as if by the feet of people or animals;
   trail:
   to follow the track of a murderer.
6. a line of travel or motion:
   the track of a bird.
7. a course or route followed.
8. a course of action, conduct, or procedure:
   on the right track to solve the problem.
9. a path or course made or laid out for some particular purpose.
10. a series or sequence of events or ideas.
11. something associated with making a track, as the wheel span of a vehicle or the tread of a tire.
12. a caterpillar tread.
13. [Sports.]
    • a course laid out for running or racing.
    • the group of sports performed on such a course, as running or hurdling, as distinguished from field events.
    • both track and field events as a whole.
14. [Recording.]
    • a band of recorded sound laid along the length of a magnetic tape.
    • band² (def. 6).
    • an individual song or segment of a recording:
      a title track.
    • a discrete, separate recording that is combined with other parts of a musical recording to produce the final aural version:
      a special rhythm track added to the basic track.
15. [Auto.] the distance between the centers of the treads of either the front or rear wheels of a vehicle.
16. Computing a data-recording path on a storage medium, as a magnetic disk, tape, or drum, that is accessible to a read-write head in a given position as the medium moves past.
17. tracks, [Slang.] needle marks on the arm, leg, or body of a drug user caused by habitual injections.
18. Cinema sound track.
19. a metal strip or rail along which something, as lighting or a curtain, can be mounted or moved.
20. Education a study program or level of curriculum to which a student is assigned on the basis of aptitude or need;
    academic course or path.
21. in one's tracks, [Informal.] in the spot in which one is or is standing at the moment:
    He stopped dead in his tracks, listening for the sound to be repeated.
22. keep track, to be aware;
    keep informed:
    Have you been keeping track of the time?
23. lose track, to fail to keep informed;
    neglect to keep a record:
    He soon lost track of how much money he had spent.
24. make tracks, [Informal.] to go or depart in a hurry:
    to make tracks for the store before closing time.
25. off the track, departing from the objective or the subject at hand;
    astray:
    He can't tell a story without getting off the track.
26. on the track of, in search or pursuit of;
    close upon:
    They are on the track of a solution to the problem.
27. on the wrong or right side of the tracks, from a poor or wealthy part of a community or of society:
    born on the wrong side of the tracks.

v.t. 

28. to follow or pursue the track, traces, or footprints of.
29. to follow (a track, course, etc.).
30. to make one's way through;
    traverse.
31. to leave footprints on (often fol. by up or on):
    to track the floor with muddy shoes.
32. to make a trail of footprints with (dirt, snow, or the like):
    The dog tracked mud all over the living room rug.
33. to observe or monitor the course or path of (an aircraft, rocket, satellite, star, etc.), as by radar or radio signals.
34. to observe or follow the course of progress of;
    keep track of.
35. to furnish with a track or tracks, as for railroad trains.
36. [Railroads.] to have (a certain distance) between wheels, runners, rails, etc.

v.i. 

37. to follow or pursue a track or trail.
38. to run in the same track, as the wheels of a vehicle.
39. to be in alignment, as one gearwheel with another.
40. to have a specified span between wheels or runners:
    The car's wheels track about five feet.
41. [Motion Pictures, Television.] dolly (def. 12).
42. Sound Reproduction [Recording.] to follow the undulations in the grooves of a phonograph record.
43. track down, to pursue until caught or captured;
    follow:
    to track down a killer.

• Old Norse trathk trodden spot; compare Norwegian trakke to trample; akin to tread
• Middle French trac, perh.
• late Middle English trak (noun, nominal) 1425–75

track ′a•ble, adj. 
track′a•bil ′i•ty, n. 
track ′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 3. trace, record, spoor.
• 28. stalk, hunt.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

keep / kiːp/ verb (keeps, keeping, kept / kɛpt/)

1. (transitive) to have or retain possession of
2. (transitive) to have temporary possession or charge of: keep my watch for me during the game
3. (transitive) to store in a customary place: I keep my books in the desk
4. to remain or cause to remain in a specified state or condition: keep the dog quiet, keep ready
5. to continue or cause to continue: keep the beat, keep in step
6. (transitive) to have or take charge or care of: keep the shop for me till I return
7. (transitive) to look after or maintain for use, pleasure, etc: to keep chickens, keep two cars
8. (transitive) to provide for the upkeep or livelihood of
9. (transitive) to support financially, esp in return for sexual favours
10. to confine or detain or be confined or detained
11. to withhold or reserve or admit of withholding or reserving: your news will keep till later
12. (transitive) to refrain from divulging or violating: to keep a secret, keep one's word
13. to preserve or admit of preservation
14. (transitive) sometimes followed by up: to observe with due rites or ceremonies
15. (transitive) to maintain by writing regular records in: to keep a diary
16. when intr, followed by in, on, to, etc: to stay in, on, or at (a place or position): please keep your seats, keep to the path
17. (transitive) to associate with (esp in the phrase keep bad company)
18. (transitive) to maintain in existence: to keep court in the palace
19. (transitive) to have habitually in stock: this shop keeps all kinds of wool
20. how are you keeping? ⇒ how are you?
21. keep track of ⇒
    See track15
22. keep time ⇒
    See time42

noun

1. living or support
2. charge or care
3. Also called: dungeon, donjon the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress

Etymology: Old English cēpan to observe; compare Old Saxon kapōn to look, Old Norse kōpa to stare

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

track / træk/ noun

1. the mark or trail left by something that has passed by: the track of an animal
2. any road or path affording passage, esp a rough one
3. a rail or pair of parallel rails on which a vehicle, such as a locomotive, runs, esp the rails together with the sleepers, ballast, etc, on a railway
4. a course of action, thought, etc: don't start on that track again!
5. a line of motion or travel, such as flight
6. an endless jointed metal band driven by the wheels of a vehicle such as a tank or tractor to enable it to move across rough or muddy ground
7. the path of a particle of ionizing radiation as observed in a cloud chamber, bubble chamber, or photographic emulsion
8. a course for running or racing
9. (as modifier): track events
10. sports performed on a track
11. track and field events as a whole
12. a path on a magnetic recording medium, esp magnetic tape, on which information, such as music or speech, from a single input channel is recorded
13. any of a number of separate sections in the recording on a record, CD, or cassette
14. a metal path that makes the interconnections on an integrated circuit
15. the distance between the points of contact with the ground of a pair of wheels, such as the front wheels of a motor vehicle or the paired wheels of an aircraft undercarriage
16. a hypothetical trace made on the surface of the earth by a point directly below an aircraft in flight
17. keep track of ⇒ to follow the passage, course, or progress of
18. lose track of ⇒ to fail to follow the passage, course, or progress of
19. off the beaten track ⇒
    See beaten4
20. off the track ⇒ away from what is correct or true
21. on track ⇒ following the course of action required to achieve something
22. on the track of ⇒ on the scent or trail of; pursuing
23. the right track ⇒ the correct line of investigation, inquiry, etc
24. the wrong track ⇒ the incorrect line of investigation, inquiry, etc

verb

1. to follow the trail of (a person, animal, etc)
2. to follow the flight path of (a satellite, spacecraft, etc) by picking up radio or radar signals transmitted or reflected by it
3. to provide with a track
4. to run on a track of (a certain width)
5. (of a camera or camera operator) to follow (a moving object) in any direction while operating
6. to move (a camera) towards the scene (track in) or away from the scene (track out)
7. to follow a track through (a place): to track the jungles
8. (intransitive) (of the pick-up, stylus, etc, of a record player) to follow the groove of a record: the pick-up tracks badly

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French trac, probably of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch tracken to pull, Middle Low German trecken; compare Norwegian trakke to trample

ˈtrackable adjective

ˈtracker noun