Keep vs. Peel — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on September 29, 2023
Keep" generally means to retain possession of, while "Peel" refers to removing the outer layer of something. These words have different meanings and are used in distinct contexts.
Difference Between Keep and Peel
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The words "Keep" and "Peel" are disparate in meaning and application. "Keep" primarily means to continue to have or hold, preventing it from being taken away, lost, or given away. This term is versatile, being applicable in various contexts such as to keep possessions, to keep promises, or to keep secrets, emphasizing retention, preservation, or maintenance of the object or condition in question.
In contrast, "Peel" is specifically used to describe the action of removing the outer covering or skin of fruits, vegetables, or other objects, usually by using hands or a tool. It implies the stripping away or shedding of the outer layer, revealing the inner part. While "Keep" emphasizes retention and continuation, "Peel" highlights removal and separation, being employed when one wants to discard the outer layer of an object.
"Keep" and "Peel" exhibit not only different meanings but also different functionalities within language structures. "Keep" is a versatile word used in various contexts to denote the action of holding, maintaining, or retaining something, and it is applied broadly across different situations and objects. It can be used to refer to physical objects, emotional states, or actions, offering a broad spectrum of applications.
On the other hand, "Peel" has a more specialized and narrow application, predominantly used in the context of removing outer layers, skins, or coverings. Its usage is primarily limited to contexts where an outer layer is to be removed or separated from the inner part. The specificity of "Peel" contrasts sharply with the versatility and broad applicability of "Keep," making them distinctly unique in their utilization within the language.
To summarize, "Keep" and "Peel" are different in their meaning, application, and functionality within the language. "Keep" is broad and versatile, emphasizing retention and maintenance, while "Peel" is specific and narrow, focusing on the removal of outer layers or coverings. Their differences underscore the variety and richness of language, enabling precise expression of diverse actions and states.
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Comparison Chart
Meaning
To retain possession of
To remove the outer layer of something
Functionality
Broad and versatile
Specific and narrow
Usage
Applied in various contexts and situations
Predominantly used for fruits, vegetables, and objects with outer layers
Application
Can refer to objects, actions, or emotional states
Limited to objects with removable outer layers
Action
Emphasizes retention, preservation, and maintenance
Focuses on removal, stripping, and separation
Compare with Definitions
Keep
Keep means to retain possession of something.
Please keep the change.
Peel
Peel means to remove the outer covering or skin of a fruit or vegetable.
Carefully peel the orange.
Keep
Keep denotes continuing to have or hold something.
She decided to keep the book.
Peel
Peel refers to the action of stripping or shedding the outer layer of something.
Peel the wallpaper off the wall.
Keep
Keep implies maintaining or continuing a specific condition, action, or situation.
Keep quiet during the presentation.
Peel
Peel can also denote the outer covering of a fruit or vegetable.
The apple peel contains many nutrients.
Keep
A keep (from the Middle English kype) is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the castle fall to an adversary.
Peel
Remove the outer covering or skin from (a fruit, vegetable, or prawn)
She watched him peel an apple with deliberate care
Keep
To retain possession of
Kept the change.
Must keep your composure.
Peel
Remove a thin outer covering or part
I peeled off the tissue paper
Keep
To have as a supply
Keep spare parts in case of emergency.
Peel
(of a surface or object) lose parts of its outer layer or covering in small strips or pieces
The walls are peeling
Keep
To provide (a family, for example) with maintenance and support
"There's little to earn and many to keep" (Charles Kingsley).
Peel
Send (another player's ball) through a hoop
The better players are capable of peeling a ball through two or three hoops
Keep
To support (a mistress or lover) financially.
Peel
The outer covering or rind of a fruit or vegetable
Pieces of potato peel
Keep
To put customarily; store
Where do you keep your saw?.
Peel
An act of exfoliating dead skin in the cosmetic treatment of microdermabrasion.
Keep
To supply with room and board for a charge
Keep boarders.
Peel
A flat implement like a shovel, especially one used by a baker for carrying loaves or similar items of food into or out of an oven
A wooden pizza peel
Keep
To raise
Keep chickens.
Peel
A small square defensive tower of a kind built in the 16th century in the border counties of England and Scotland.
Keep
To maintain for use or service
An urbanite who didn't keep a car.
Peel
The skin or rind of certain fruits and vegetables.
Keep
To manage, tend, or have charge of
Keep the shop while I'm away.
Peel
A chemical peel.
Keep
To preserve (food).
Peel
A long-handled, shovellike tool used by bakers to move bread or pastries into and out of an oven.
Keep
To cause to continue in a state, condition, or course of action
Tried to keep the patient calm.
Peel
(Printing) A T-shaped pole used for hanging up freshly printed sheets of paper to dry.
Keep
To maintain records or entries in
Keep a yearly diary.
Peel
A fortified house or tower of a kind constructed in the borderland of Scotland and England in the 1500s.
Keep
To enter (data) in a book
Keep financial records.
Peel
To strip or cut away the skin, rind, or bark from; pare.
Keep
To detain
Was kept after school.
Peel
To strip away; pull off
Peeled the label from the jar.
Keep
To restrain
Kept the child away from the stove.
Kept the crowd back with barriers.
Peel
To lose or shed skin, bark, or other covering.
Keep
To prevent or deter
Tried to keep the ice from melting.
Peel
To come off in thin strips or pieces, as bark, skin, or paint
Her sunburned skin began to peel.
Keep
To refrain from divulging
Keep a secret.
Peel
(transitive) To remove the skin or outer covering of.
I sat by my sister's bed, peeling oranges for her.
Keep
To save; reserve
Keep extra money for emergencies.
Peel
(transitive) To remove something from the outer or top layer of.
I peeled (the skin from) a banana and ate it hungrily.
We peeled the old wallpaper off in strips where it was hanging loose.
Keep
To adhere or conform to; follow
Keep late hours.
Peel
(intransitive) To become detached, come away, especially in flakes or strips; to shed skin in such a way.
I had been out in the sun too long, and my nose was starting to peel.
Keep
To be faithful to; fulfill
Keep one's word.
Peel
(intransitive) To remove one's clothing.
The children peeled by the side of the lake and jumped in.
Keep
To celebrate; observe
Keep the Sabbath.
Peel
(intransitive) To move, separate (off or away).
The scrum-half peeled off and made for the touchlines.
Keep
To remain in a state or condition; stay
Keep in line.
Keep quiet.
Kept well.
Peel
(curling) To play a peel shot.
Keep
To continue to do
Keep on talking.
Keep guessing.
Peel
(croquet) To send through a hoop (of a ball other than one's own).
Keep
To remain fresh or unspoiled
The dessert won't keep.
Peel
To plunder; to pillage, rob.
Keep
To restrain oneself; hold oneself back
I couldn't keep from eavesdropping.
Peel
The skin or outer layer of a fruit, vegetable, etc.
Keep
Care; charge
The child is in my keep for the day.
Peel
The action of peeling away from a formation.
Keep
The means by which one is supported
Earn one's keep.
Peel
(countable) A cosmetic preparation designed to remove dead skin or to exfoliate.
Keep
The stronghold of a castle.
Peel
(obsolete) A stake.
Keep
A jail.
Peel
(obsolete) A fence made of stakes; a stockade.
Keep
To continue in (a course or mode of action); to not intermit or fall from; to uphold or maintain.
To keep silence;
To keep possession
Peel
(archaic) A small tower, fort, or castle; a keep.
Keep
To remain faithful to a given promise or word.
To keep one's word;
To keep one's promise
Peel
A shovel or similar instrument, now especially a pole with a flat disc at the end used for removing pizza or loaves of bread from a baker's oven.
Keep
(transitive) To hold the status of something.
Peel
A T-shaped implement used by printers and bookbinders for hanging wet sheets of paper on lines or poles to dry.
Keep
To maintain possession of.
I keep a small stock of painkillers for emergencies.
Peel
The blade of an oar.
Keep
To maintain the condition of; to preserve in a certain state.
I keep my specimens under glass to protect them.
The abundance of squirrels kept the dogs running for hours.
Peel
An equal or match; a draw.
Keep
(transitive) To record transactions, accounts, or events in.
I used to keep a diary.
Peel
(curling) A takeout which removes a stone from play as well as the delivered stone.
Keep
(transitive) To enter (accounts, records, etc.) in a book.
Peel
A small tower, fort, or castle; a keep.
Keep
(archaic) To remain in; to be confined to.
Peel
A spadelike implement, variously used, as for removing loaves of bread from a baker's oven; also, a T-shaped implement used by printers and bookbinders for hanging wet sheets of paper on lines or poles to dry. Also, the blade of an oar.
Keep
To restrain.
I keep my pet gerbil away from my brother.
Don't let me keep you; I know you have things to be doing.
Peel
The skin or rind; as, the peel of an orange.
Keep
(with from) To watch over, look after, guard, protect.
May the Lord keep you from harm.
Peel
To plunder; to pillage; to rob.
But govern ill the nations under yoke,Peeling their provinces.
Keep
To supply with necessities and financially support (a person).
He kept a mistress for over ten years.
Peel
To strip off the skin, bark, or rind of; to strip by drawing or tearing off the skin, bark, husks, etc.; to flay; to decorticate; as, to peel an orange.
The skillful shepherd peeled me certain wands.
Keep
(of living things) To raise; to care for.
He has been keeping orchids since retiring.
Peel
To strip or tear off; to remove by stripping, as the skin of an animal, the bark of a tree, etc.
Keep
To refrain from freely disclosing (a secret).
Peel
To lose the skin, bark, or rind; to come off, as the skin, bark, or rind does; - often used with an adverb; as, the bark peels easily or readily.
Keep
To maintain (an establishment or institution); to conduct; to manage.
Peel
To strip naked; to disrobe. Often used with down .
Keep
To have habitually in stock for sale.
Peel
The tissue forming the hard outer layer (of e.g. a fruit)
Keep
(intransitive) To hold or be held in a state.
Peel
British politician (1788-1850)
Keep
(obsolete) To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.
She kept to her bed while the fever lasted.
Peel
The rind of a fruit or vegetable
Keep
To continue.
I keep taking the tablets, but to no avail.
Peel
Strip the skin off;
Pare apples
Keep
To remain edible or otherwise usable.
Potatoes can keep if they are in a root cellar.
Latex paint won't keep indefinitely.
Peel
Come off in flakes or thin small pieces;
The paint in my house is peeling off
Keep
(copulative) To remain in a state.
The rabbit avoided detection by keeping still.
Keep calm! There's no need to panic.
Peel
Get undressed;
Please don't undress in front of everybody!
She strips in front of strangers every night for a living
Keep
(obsolete) To wait for, keep watch for.
Peel
Peel implies coming off or being removed from the surface of something.
The paint began to peel due to the heat.
Keep
To act as wicket-keeper.
Godfrey Evans kept for England for many years.
Peel
Peel can also mean moving rapidly away from a place or position.
The car peeled out of the driveway.
Keep
To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.
Keep
To be in session; to take place.
School keeps today.
Keep
(transitive) To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; to not swerve from or violate.
Keep
To visit (a place) often; to frequent.
Keep
To observe or celebrate (a holiday).
The feast of St. Stephen is kept on December 26.
Keep
(historical) The main tower of a castle or fortress, located within the castle walls.
Keep
The food or money required to keep someone alive and healthy; one's support, maintenance.
He works as a cobbler's apprentice for his keep.
Keep
(obsolete) The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge; notice.
Keep
The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case.
To be in good keep
Keep
(obsolete) That which is kept in charge; a charge.
Keep
(engineering) A cap for holding something, such as a journal box, in place.
Keep
To care; to desire.
I kepe not of armes for to yelp [boast].
Keep
To hold; to restrain from departure or removal; not to let go of; to retain in one's power or possession; not to lose; to retain; to detain.
If we lose the field,We can not keep the town.
That I may know what keeps me here with you.
If we would weigh and keep in our minds what we are considering, that would instruct us.
Keep
To cause to remain in a given situation or condition; to maintain unchanged; to hold or preserve in any state or tenor.
His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal.
Keep a stiff rein, and move but gently on.
Keep
To have in custody; to have in some place for preservation; to take charge of.
The crown of Stephanus, first king of Hungary, was always kept in the castle of Vicegrade.
Keep
To preserve from danger, harm, or loss; to guard.
Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee.
Keep
To preserve from discovery or publicity; not to communicate, reveal, or betray, as a secret.
Great are thy virtues . . . though kept from man.
Keep
To attend upon; to have the care of; to tend.
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it.
In her girlish age, she kept sheep on the moor.
Keep
To record transactions, accounts, or events in; as, to keep books, a journal, etc.; also, to enter (as accounts, records, etc. ) in a book.
Keep
To maintain, as an establishment, institution, or the like; to conduct; to manage; as, to keep store.
Like a pedant that keeps a school.
Every one of them kept house by himself.
Keep
To supply with necessaries of life; to entertain; as, to keep boarders.
Keep
To have in one's service; to have and maintain, as an assistant, a servant, a mistress, a horse, etc.
I keep but three men and a boy.
Keep
To have habitually in stock for sale.
Keep
To continue in, as a course or mode of action; not to intermit or fall from; to hold to; to maintain; as, to keep silence; to keep one's word; to keep possession.
Both day and night did we keep company.
Within this portal as I kept my watch.
Keep
To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; not to swerve from or violate; to practice or perform, as duty; not to neglect; to be faithful to.
I have kept the faith.
Him whom to love is to obey, and keepHis great command.
Keep
To confine one's self to; not to quit; to remain in; as, to keep one's house, room, bed, etc.; hence, to haunt; to frequent.
'Tis hallowed ground;Fairies, and fawns, and satyrs do it keep.
Keep
To observe duly, as a festival, etc.; to celebrate; to solemnize; as, to keep a feast.
I went with them to the house of God . . . with a multitude that kept holyday.
Keep
To remain in any position or state; to continue; to abide; to stay; as, to keep at a distance; to keep aloft; to keep near; to keep in the house; to keep before or behind; to keep in favor; to keep out of company, or out reach.
Keep
To last; to endure; to remain unimpaired.
If the malt be not thoroughly dried, the ale it makes will not keep.
Keep
To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.
Knock at his study, where, they say, he keeps.
Keep
To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.
Keep that the lusts choke not the word of God that is in us.
Keep
To be in session; as, school keeps to-day.
Keep
The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge.
Pan, thou god of shepherds all,Which of our tender lambkins takest keep.
Keep
The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case; as, to be in good keep.
Keep
The means or provisions by which one is kept; maintenance; support; as, the keep of a horse.
Grass equal to the keep of seven cows.
I performed some services to the college in return for my keep.
Keep
That which keeps or protects; a stronghold; a fortress; a castle; specifically, the strongest and securest part of a castle, often used as a place of residence by the lord of the castle, especially during a siege; the dungeon. See Illust. of Castle.
The prison strong,Within whose keep the captive knights were laid.
The lower chambers of those gloomy keeps.
I think . . . the keep, or principal part of a castle, was so called because the lord and his domestic circle kept, abode, or lived there.
Keep
That which is kept in charge; a charge.
Often he used of his keepA sacrifice to bring.
Keep
A cap for retaining anything, as a journal box, in place.
Keep
The financial means whereby one lives;
Each child was expected to pay for their keep
He applied to the state for support
He could no longer earn his own livelihood
Keep
The main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
Keep
A cell in a jail or prison
Keep
Keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g.,
Keep clean
Hold in place
She always held herself as a lady
The students keep me on my toes
Keep
Continue a certain state, condition, or activity;
Keep on working!
We continued to work into the night
Keep smiling
We went on working until well past midnight
Keep
Retain possession of;
Can I keep my old stuffed animals?
She kept her maiden name after she married
Keep
Prevent from doing something or being in a certain state;
We must prevent the cancer from spreading
His snoring kept me from falling asleep
Keep the child from eating the marbles
Keep
Conform one's action or practice to;
Keep appointments
She never keeps her promises
We kept to the original conditions of the contract
Keep
Observe correctly or closely;
The pianist kept time with the metronome
Keep count
I cannot keep track of all my employees
Keep
Look after; be the keeper of; have charge of;
He keeps the shop when I am gone
Keep
Maintain by writing regular records;
Keep a diary
Maintain a record
Keep notes
Keep
Supply with room and board;
He is keeping three women in the guest cottage
Keep boarders
Keep
Allow to remain in a place or position;
We cannot continue several servants any longer
She retains a lawyer
The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff
Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on
We kept the work going as long as we could
Keep
Supply with necessities and support;
She alone sustained her family
The money will sustain our good cause
There's little to earn and many to keep
Keep
Fail to spoil or rot;
These potatoes keep for a long time
Keep
Celebrate, as of holidays or rites;
Keep the commandments
Celebrate Christmas
Observe Yom Kippur
Keep
Keep under control; keep in check;
Suppress a smile
Keep your temper
Keep your cool
Keep
Maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger;
May God keep you
Keep
Raise;
She keeps a few chickens in the yard
He keeps bees
Keep
Retain rights to;
Keep my job for me while I give birth
Keep my seat, please
Keep open the possibility of a merger
Keep
Store or keep customarily;
Where do you keep your gardening tools?
Keep
Have as a supply;
I always keep batteries in the freezer
Keep food for a week in the pantry
She keeps a sixpack and a week's worth of supplies in the refrigerator
Keep
Maintain for use and service;
I keep a car in the countryside
She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips
Keep
Hold and prevent from leaving;
The student was kept after school
Keep
Prevent (food) from rotting;
Preserved meats
Keep potatoes fresh
Keep
Keep can also mean to preserve something in a specified condition or position.
Keep the door closed.
Keep
Keep can refer to providing for the sustenance of someone.
She keeps her family on a tight budget.
Common Curiosities
Does "Keep" imply preservation and maintenance?
Yes, "Keep" often emphasizes retention, preservation, and maintenance of objects or conditions.
Can "Peel" refer to the outer covering of a fruit or vegetable?
Yes, "Peel" can also denote the outer covering or skin of a fruit or vegetable.
Can "Keep" refer to providing for the sustenance of someone?
Yes, "Keep" can refer to providing for the sustenance or support of someone, as in maintaining or supporting a family.
Can "Peel" imply moving rapidly away from a place?
Yes, "Peel" can also mean moving rapidly away from a place or position, as in a car peeling out of a driveway.
Do "Keep" and "Peel" have similar meanings?
No, "Keep" means to retain possession, and "Peel" refers to removing the outer layer of something.
Can "Peel" mean the action of stripping or shedding the outer layer?
Yes, "Peel" specifically refers to the action of stripping or shedding the outer layer of something.
Is the application of "Peel" limited to objects with removable layers?
Predominantly, yes. "Peel" is usually applied to objects, like fruits, vegetables, or items with outer layers that can be removed or stripped.
Does "Peel" focus on removal and separation?
Yes, "Peel" predominantly focuses on the removal, stripping, and separation of outer layers or coverings.
Is "Keep" a versatile word?
Yes, "Keep" is versatile and can be used in various contexts to denote retention or continuation of states, actions, or possessions.
Can "Keep" be used in the context of preserving a specified condition?
Absolutely, "Keep" can be used to denote the preservation of something in a specified condition or position.
Can "Keep" denote the action of holding or having something?
Yes, "Keep" primarily denotes the action of continuing to have or hold something, preventing it from being lost or given away.
Can "Keep" be used to denote maintaining a condition?
Yes, "Keep" can imply maintaining or continuing a specific condition or situation.
Is "Peel" primarily used for fruits and vegetables?
Yes, "Peel" is predominantly used to describe removing the outer covering of fruits and vegetables.
Does "Keep" emphasize continuation?
Yes, "Keep" often implies maintaining or continuing a specific condition, action, or situation.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
