keep off the streets

present singular third person keeps off the streets · participle present keeping off the streets · participle past kept off the streets · past kept off the streets · alternative keep off the street

1. idiomatictransitiveTo inspire or cause (someone) to avoid idleness, unemployment, poverty, or antisocial behavior.

   "Dolly Nemeroff said you're a private detective in California." […] "It's an archaic line of work, but it keeps me off the streets."

   1992, Les Roberts, chapter 4, in Seeing the Elephant, →ISBN

   3 more examples

   The Prague-born Jelinek, 32, arrived in Toronto this month to become a principal with the National Ballet of Canada. […] But he'd never have reached this point if his single mom, who died when he was 17, hadn't put him in ballet school to keep him off the streets.

   2010 January 10, Michael Crabb, “Former bad boy now a prince”, in Toronto Star, Canada, retrieved 09 Mar 2022

   "The kids love it because they love computers," said Ms. Hanson, "and I love it because it helps them with their education while keeping them off the streets."

   2010 October 24, Julia Werdigier, “British Kids Log On and Learn Math — in Punjab”, in New York Times, retrieved 09 Mar 2022

   And back then, our parents knew that if they loved and encouraged us, if they kept us off the streets and out of trouble, then we'd be okay.

   2013 April 10, Michelle Obama, “Remarks by the First Lady at the Joint Luncheon Meeting”, in obamawhitehouse.archives.gov, retrieved 09 Mar 2022