Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

earn one's keep

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.12 in modern English

Syllables: earn one's -keep
IPA

18

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.

verb

To be worthwhile.

Example Sentences

"Being a very strong, active man, with gift of versatile hand and brain, and early acquaintance with handicrafts, Christopher Bert could earn his keep."
"Klee also left home to make his name, moving in his late teens to Munich, where he studied art, earned his keep as a musician and, in 1906, married Lily Stumpf."
"The lack of bottom-end grunt presents as a particular problem in hilly terrain where the five-speed manual gearbox really earns its keep."

Inflected Forms

earns one's keep (present, singular) earning one's keep (participle, present) earned one's keep (participle, past) earned one's keep (past) earnt one's keep (participle, past) earnt one's keep (past)

Synonyms

earn one's corn earn one's crust carry one's weight bring home the bacon earn a living earn one's keep keep the home fires burning put bread on the table put food on the table

Questions

What does earn one's keep mean?: To perform satisfactory physical labor or to provide other worthy services in return for remuneration, lodging, or other benefits; to support oneself financially.

How to pronounce earn one's keep

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