Definition of the word keep after

The phrase "keep after" is an idiom that indicates constant pursuit, persistence, or pressure towards someone or something. Its origin can be traced back to the Old English verb "cybian," which means "to pursue" or "to hunt." In Middle English, "kypen" replaced "cybian," and it signified both "to hunt" and "to chase after." Over time, "keepen" or "kepen" derived from "kypen," and it originally referred to maintaining something or someone, such as livestock or prisoners. The meaning of "keepen" evolved during the 16th century, where it began to mean "to deal with" or "to manage" someone or something. This alteration, coupled with the sense of urgency conveyed by "after," resulted in the phrase "keep after" taking on the current connotation of continuous effort, action, or persistence. In summary, "keep after" originated from the Old English verb "cybian" meaning "to pursue" or "to hunt," which morphed into Middle English's "kypen" and subsequently "keepen" in Early Modern English, signifying "to manage" or "to deal with." Finally, the phrase "keep after" developed from a combination of these terms' semantic shifts.