keep (someone or something) apart
keep (someone or something) apart
1. To ensure that two or more people or things remain physically separated. Make sure you keep the twins apart on long car journeys, or they'll just spend the whole time fighting. These substances have to be kept apart in storage if you don't want an explosive chemical reaction.
2. To prevent two people from forming a romantic relationship with one another. My family wants to keep me and Tommy apart, but we are in love and destined to be together! We still care for each other, but various factors have kept us apart over the years.
See also: apart, keep
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
keep someone or something apart
to keep someone away from someone else; to keep something away from something else. Try to keep the dogs and cats apart. Can you keep Bill and Bob apart?
See also: apart, keep
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
- keep apart
- detached from the (outside) world
- grapple
- grappling
- emotional affair
- tear loose from (someone or something)
- trade blows
- be all the worse for wear
- (right) under (one's) (very) nose
- all the worse for wear