keep tabs on (someone or something)
To routinely monitor or observe someone or something; to keep track of someone or something. It was revealed that the FBI kept tabs on him for years just because he once attended a meeting of a radical group. Keep tabs on the amount of feedback we get so that we know how many people this issue affects.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
keep tabs on
Observe carefully, keep a record of. For example,
I hate having my boss keep tabs on my every move, or
We've got to keep tabs on outgoing mail so we can keep track of postage. This expression uses to
tab in the sense of "an account." [Late 1800s] Also see
keep track.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
keep tabs (or a tab) on
monitor the activities or development of; keep under close observation. informal 1978 Mario Puzo Fools Die Jordan knew that Merlyn the Kid kept tabs on everything he did.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
keep (close) ˈtabs on somebody/something
(informal) watch somebody/something very carefully; keep informed about somebody/something: I’m not sure about Johnson — we’d better keep tabs on him until we know we can trust him. ♢ I’m keeping tabs on the number of private phone calls you all make from the office.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
keep tabs on
Informal To observe carefully over time: Let's keep tabs on expenditures.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.