The difference between keep and remain is a topic that has been discussed by many linguists and grammarians. Both words can be used as verbs or nouns, but they have different meanings and usages in different contexts. Here is a brief overview of the main differences between keep and remain:
- As verbs, keep and remain can both mean to stay in a certain state or condition, but keep implies some effort or action to maintain that state, while remain suggests a passive or natural continuation of that state. For example:
- She kept her composure despite the pressure. (She did something to stay calm.)
- He remained silent throughout the interrogation. (He did not speak, but he did not have to do anything to avoid speaking.)
- Keep can also mean to have or retain possession of something, to prevent something from happening, to adhere to or follow something, or to store or preserve something. For example:
- You can keep the change. (You can have the money.)
- He kept me from falling. (He prevented me from falling.)
- She kept her promise. (She followed her promise.)
- They kept the food in the fridge. (They stored the food in the fridge.)
- Remain can also mean to be left after others have gone or been taken away, to continue to exist or be valid, or to be left to be done or dealt with. For example:
- Only a few people remained in the room. (Only a few people were left in the room.)
- The law remained in force. (The law continued to exist or be valid.)
- There is still some work to remain. (There is still some work to be done or dealt with.)
- As nouns, keep and remain have different meanings. Keep is usually used to refer to the strongest or central part of a castle, where people could defend themselves in case of an attack. For example:
- The keep was built in the 12th century. (The central part of the castle was built in the 12th century.)
- Remain is usually used to refer to a part or trace of something that no longer exists or is no longer visible, such as a corpse, a ruin, or a fossil. For example:
- The remains of the ancient city were discovered by archaeologists. (The parts or traces of the ancient city were discovered by archaeologists.)
In conclusion, keep and remain are two words that have similar but distinct meanings and usages. They can both be used as verbs or nouns, but they have different implications and connotations in different contexts.
