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Keeper

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: The box on a door jamb into which the bolt of a lock protrudes, when shot. A ring serving to keep another ring on the finger. 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. Keeper of the forest, 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. Keeper of the kings conscience, the lord chancellor; a name given when the chancellor was an ecclesiastic. 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. Keeper of a magnet, a piece of iron which connects the two poles, for the purpose of keeping the magnetic power undiminished; an armature.