keep ones word

It means to do what you have promised to do. It signifies reliability and integrity. When you keep your word, people know they can trust you to follow through on your commitments.

It's generally considered neutral to slightly formal. You can use it in most everyday conversations, but it also fits well in professional settings. It adds a layer of seriousness and emphasizes the importance of the promise.

It's usually best reserved for more significant promises where trust is a key factor. For very casual things, like 'I'll see you later,' you'd typically just say 'Okay' or 'Sure'. Using the idiom here might sound overly dramatic.

'Keep one's word' specifically refers to fulfilling a promise or pledge. 'Follow through' is broader and means completing any planned action or task, whether it was explicitly promised or not. They are very similar but 'keep one's word' has a stronger emphasis on the promise itself.

You use it by replacing 'one's' with the appropriate possessive pronoun (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) and conjugating 'keep' to match the tense and subject. For example: 'I will keep my word,' or 'She kept her word.'

If someone doesn't keep their word, they have broken their promise. This usually leads to a loss of trust and can damage relationships. It implies unreliability or dishonesty, depending on the context and intent.

Yes, a very common mistake is using the plural 'words' instead of the singular 'word'. The correct idiom is always 'keep one's word'. Another error is incorrect subject-verb agreement or the wrong possessive pronoun.

The phrase likely originates from times when spoken promises held immense social and legal weight. Before widespread contracts, a person's reputation was built on their ability to 'keep their word,' signifying honor and integrity.

Not necessarily. While it can apply to legal or contractual promises, it's more often used for moral or social commitments. The core idea is about personal integrity and trustworthiness, regardless of legal enforceability.

The most direct opposite is 'break one's word.' This means failing to do what you promised, essentially going back on your pledge. Other related concepts include 'reneging' on a promise or 'going back on' your word.

Absolutely! It's very common in professional emails or letters when confirming commitments. For instance, 'We assure you that we will keep our word regarding the delivery schedule.'

To 'stand by one's word' is similar to 'keep one's word' but adds an emphasis on firmness and conviction. It suggests that the person will not back down from their promise, even if it becomes difficult or inconvenient.

You can preface it with phrases like 'I'll do my best to keep my word' or 'I intend to keep my word, but...' This acknowledges potential difficulties while still showing commitment. However, the core phrase itself is quite direct.

Keeping your word is fundamental to building a good reputation. Consistently fulfilling promises makes you appear reliable, honest, and trustworthy. Conversely, breaking your word can quickly damage your reputation.

'Keep one's word' focuses on the action of fulfilling the promise. 'Honor a promise' adds a layer of respect and deep commitment to the act, suggesting it's done with high regard for the promise itself and the person it was made to.

Yes, definitely! It's common to use it for personal commitments, like 'I promised myself I'd exercise daily, and I've kept my word so far.' This highlights self-discipline and personal accountability.

You can still use 'keep one's word' even for informal promises made via text. For example, 'Hey, I know I said I'd bring the cake – I'll keep my word!' It adds emphasis to the commitment.

While the importance of promises is widespread, the exact expression and its cultural weight can vary. However, the underlying value of reliability and integrity associated with 'keeping one's word' is recognized in most societies as crucial for social cohesion.