keep time
idiom
1
of a watch or clock
: to show the correct time
My watch keeps good/perfect time.
2
music
: to perform music at the correct speed
Among other things, the conductor helps the orchestra keep time (to the music).
Examples of keep time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Culturally, humankind has the moon to thank for inspiring the birth of religions, helping civilizations keep time and tipping the outcomes of brutal wars.
—
Joe Spring, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2024
So, nuclear transitions could theoretically offer a much more exact way to keep time compared to the electron.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
Atomic clocks keep time by counting the vibrations of certain atoms, which are extremely regular.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2024
But the robot didn't have ears to hear a timer ding, and its own processor could keep time anyway.
—David Berreby, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for keep time 
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Joe Spring, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2024
So, nuclear transitions could theoretically offer a much more exact way to keep time compared to the electron.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
Atomic clocks keep time by counting the vibrations of certain atoms, which are extremely regular.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2024
But the robot didn't have ears to hear a timer ding, and its own processor could keep time anyway.
—David Berreby, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for keep time
Dictionary Entries Near keep time
Cite this Entry
“Keep time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20time. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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