keep at

British  

verb

1. (intr) to persevere with or persist in

2. (tr) to constrain (a person) to continue doing (a task)

---

keep at Idioms  

1. Persevere or persist at doing something. For example, If you keep at your math, you'll soon master it . It is also put as keep at it , as in He kept at it all day and finally finished the report . [Early 1800s]

2. keep at someone . Nag, harass, or annoy someone, as in You have to keep at Carl if you want him to do the work , or He keeps at Millie all the time . Also see keep after .

---

Example Sentences

Yes, it’s ideal to keep at least three months’ of expenses in an emergency fund, but don’t abandon saving altogether if that seems like an intimidating target.

From The Wall Street Journal

Research has shown it is difficult to identify who is actually at risk of becoming homeless, and it is impossible to know if someone who received homeless prevention help would have lost their housing without it, but there is evidence that financial support can help keep at least some people off the streets.

From Los Angeles Times

"It was tough for me to go in and ask why I am not the one getting picked after that. I still absolutely believe in myself so I just have to keep at it."

From BBC

Raman said she is exploring whether those dollars could be used to keep at least some of the 14,500 households at risk housed, something other officials said they are looking at as well.

From Los Angeles Times

“No matter how mundane some action might appear,” he writes, “keep at it long enough and it becomes a contemplative, even meditative act.”

From The Wall Street Journal