keep up appearances
To artificially maintain an outward sign of normalityTo artificially maintain an outward sign of normality; to maintain an appearance of wealth, comfort, or propriety.
Meaning
1 senses(idiomatic)To artificially maintain an outward sign of normality; to maintain an appearance of wealth, comfort, or propriety.
For my father's sake, I thought I must keep up appearances, but the food stuck in my throat, and I could not swallow another mouthful.
With tact and management it would be possible to partially satisfy creditors, and keep up appearances for six months more.
den Schein wahren
де́лать хоро́шую ми́ну при плохо́й игре́délatʹ xoróšuju mínu pri ploxój igré, сохраня́ть хоро́шую ми́ну при плохо́й игре́soxranjátʹ xoróšuju mínu pri ploxój igré, держа́ть хоро́шую ми́ну при плохо́й игре́deržátʹ xoróšuju mínu pri ploxój igré
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Forms
keeps up appearances, keeping up appearances, kept up appearances, kept up appearances| Base form | keep up appearances · to keep up appearances |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | keeps up appearances |
| Present participle | keeping up appearances |
| Past simple | kept up appearances |
| Past participle | kept up appearances |
irregular · Lesson
Synonyms
2 synonymsWord family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.