Keep off meaning
Keep off means to not walk on something or touch it. It can also mean to not eat, drink or use something that is bad for you.
keep something off
keep off · kept · keeping
The sign says “Keep off the grass.”
Keep off meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Not walk on something or touch it
keep something off
- The sign says “Keep off the grass.”
- Please keep your feet off the seats.
- The dog is on the sofa again. Please keep it off.
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2
Not eat, drink or use something that is bad for you
keep off something
- The doctor told me to keep off fatty food.
- He’s been keeping off alcohol since January.
- Try to keep off your phone before bed.
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3
Avoid talking about a subject
keep off something
- At dinner, let’s keep off politics.
- She kept off the subject of her divorce.
- Can we keep off work talk for one evening?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use keep off in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is keep off separable?
When you stay away, the place comes after off: keep off the grass. When you keep something away, it goes in the middle: keep your dog off the beach, keep it off.
It is common on signs and in orders. Keep your hands off! is a strong way to say do not touch.
Verb tenses for keep off
| Present | I keep off · she keeps off |
|---|---|
| Past | kept off |
| Present perfect | have kept off |
| -ing form | keeping off |
Common mistakes with keep off
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: Keep the grass off.
Right: Keep off the grass.
When you stay off a place, the place goes after off.
Wrong: Keep off from the wet floor.
Right: Keep off the wet floor.
No from after keep off.
Wrong: I’m keeping off to eat sweets.
Right: I’m keeping off sweets.
Use a noun after keep off.
Synonyms and opposites of keep off
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- keep awaynot go near something or someone
- stay outnot go into a place
- steer clear ofinformal, avoid something
Opposite
- walk onstep on a surface
- touchput your hand on something
Keep off quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1The paint is wet, so ___ the bench.
Keep off means do not touch or sit on it.
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2Choose the right sentence.
The thing you keep away goes in the middle, the place after off.
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3“I’m keeping off sugar this month.” What is the speaker doing?
Keep off food or drink means not have it.
More phrasal verbs with keep
All phrasal verbs with keep, by level, with an exercise
6 phrasal verbs start with keep. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Keep off FAQ
Questions people ask about keep off.
What does keep off the grass mean?
It is a sign in parks that means do not walk or sit on the grass.
What is the difference between keep off and keep away?
Keep off means do not step on or touch: keep off the ice. Keep away means do not go near: keep away from the edge.
What does keep your hands off mean?
It means do not touch, take or interfere with something: Keep your hands off my sandwich!
Use keep off in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.