Earn their keep In english explanation

The meaning, explanation, definition and origin of the idiom/phrase "earn their keep", English Idiom Dictionary ( also found in Vietnamese )

Jimmy Hung

2021-09-11 05:09

Meaning of Earn their keep (redirected from earn (one's) keep )

Synonyms:

earn one's corn , make a living , to be worth one's salt , earn one's crust

Earn (one's) keep verb phrase

Work in exchange for food and accommodation.

They will allow me to live here rent-free, if I agree to earn my keep by helping out with the cleaning and babysitting.

Be worth the expenses spent on someone or something

If you can't earn your keep, you will be fired.

This machine earns its keep as it has helped me increase my productivity.

Other phrases about:

not come/go amiss

Something would be suitable or useful in a particular situation.

come in handy/useful

To be useful.

be worth its/(one's) weight in gold

To be particularly useful or helpful.

Grammar and Usage of Earn (one's) keep

Verb Forms

earns (one's) keep
earning (one's) keep
earned (one's) keep

Possessive Adjectives

earn her keep
earn his keep
earn its keep
earn my keep
earn our keep
earn their keep
earn your keep

The verb "earn" should be conjugated according to its tense.

Origin of Earn (one's) keep

This idiom has been around since the 1800s. The term keep refers to room and board. People used to work for accommodation and board rather than money in the past, especially on farms. Earn has the same meaning as it always has in the expression: to obtain something in exchange for labor.

The Origin Cited: writingexplained.org .