Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Keeper?

\Keep"er\, n. 1. One who, or that which, keeps; one who, or that which, holds or has possession of anything. 2. One who retains in custody; one who has the care of a prison and the charge of prisoners. 3. One who has the care, custody, or superintendence of anything; as, the keeper of a park, a pound, of sheep, of a gate, etc.; the keeper of attached property; hence, one who saves from harm; a defender; a preserver. The Lord is thy keeper. --Ps. cxxi. 6. 4. One who remains or keeps in a place or position. Discreet; chaste; keepers at home. --Titus ii. 5. 5. A ring, strap, clamp, or any device for holding an object in place; as: (a) The box on a door jamb into which the bolt of a lock protrudes, when shot. (b) A ring serving to keep another ring on the finger. (c) A loop near the buckle of a strap to receive the end of the strap. 6. A fruit that keeps well; as, the Roxbury Russet is a good keeper. -- Downing. {Keeper of the forest} (O. Eng. Law), an officer who had the principal government of all things relating to the forest. {Keeper of the great seal}, a high officer of state, who has custody of the great seal. The office is now united with that of lord chancellor. [Eng.] {Keeper of the King's conscience}, the lord chancellor; -- a name given when the chancellor was an ecclesiastic. [Eng.] {Keeper of the privy seal} (styled also lord privy seal), a high officer of state, through whose hands pass all charters, pardons, etc., before they come to the great seal. He is a privy councillor, and was formerly called {clerk of the privy seal}. [Eng.] {Keeper of a magnet}, a piece of iron which connects the two poles, for the purpose of keeping the magnetic power undiminished; an armature.