housekeep

verb

house·​keep ˈhau̇s-ˌkēp How to pronounce housekeep (audio)
housekept ˈhau̇s-ˌkept How to pronounce housekeep (audio) ; housekeeping

intransitive verb

: to perform the routine duties (such as cooking and cleaning) of managing a house

Examples of housekeep in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Bookings include a customary 24-hour concierge service, homeowner relations team and the opportunity to add on services from housekeeping to booking a private chef, vineyard tours and childcare. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2023 There were families with little children laid off from amusement parks, housekeeping jobs and restaurants. Jack Healy, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2020 Vincent Tullo for The New York Times Growing up in California, Orion Tait used to watch his father’s weekend housekeeping routine. Steven Kurutz, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2020 Found property: Quarry Lane Management at a hotel reported a handgun found in a room by housekeeping staff at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 15. Brian Lisik, cleveland, 27 Jan. 2020 Hence, FTSE Russell’s earlier reclassification plan, which sent a signal to money managers worldwide, may seem like housekeeping to some but was quite a bit more significant to the treasury departments of oil and gas producers. Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2019 Each of these companies differ in some ways, but have consistent traveler experiences, inoffensive design, and more modern check-in systems—plus the perks of concierge, housekeeping on demand, and no risk of cancellation. Meredith Carey, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2019 And family members, nursing aides, housekeeping staff. Michael Erard, Quartz, 3 Sep. 2019 Tip porters and housekeeping staff in Croatian Kuna and round up for taxi fares. Leena Kim, Town & Country, 22 May 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'housekeep.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from housekeeper

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of housekeep was in 1813

Dictionary Entries Near housekeep

Cite this Entry

“Housekeep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/housekeep. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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