for keeps

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Meaning · English

Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.

Where it’s used: Used Widespread English

Examples

You won't see him at that price again for a very long time.
‘ He is a very talented player who is currently pushing Rob very hard for the fly - half shirt.

British National Corpus sentence via the MAGPIE corpus (CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review.

Common questions

What does “for keeps” mean?

Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.

Is “for keeps” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.