keep in

present singular third person keeps in · participle present keeping in · participle past kept in · past kept in

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see keep, in.
2. To require a pupil to stay after school as a punishment.
3. To stay blazing (of a fire).
4. To cause (a fire) to stay blazing.
5. obsoletecommunicationsTo keep a telephone call active or queued so that the operators can try the number again later.

   'I was speaking to Royale this morning and the exchange mentioned that one of my guests had put through a call to Paris and that there had been no answer. They wanted to know if Madame would like the call kept in. I'm afraid the matter escaped my mind. Perhaps Monsieur would mention it to Madame.'

   1953, Ian Fleming, “Black Patch”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 178