keep away — stay away
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to avoid going near someone or something, or to not let someone go near it.
Say it like a native
Textbook Please remain at a distance from the wet paint.
Native Keep away — wet paint!
'Keep away' is the natural warning; 'remain at a distance' is stiff.
Pattern: keep away (from someone/something)
In use
- You should keep away from that dog; it can be aggressive.daily life
- In my opinion, it's important to keep away from unhealthy foods if you want to stay fit.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ Keep away to the wet floor.
✓ Keep away from the wet floor.
When you name what to avoid, use 'keep away FROM'; bare 'keep away' stands alone.
Common collocations
keep away— from, well, please, stay
Don't confuse it
'Stay away' usually means you yourself do not go near, while 'keep away' can mean you or someone else should not go near.