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. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

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. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.