[Idiom] FOR KEEPS. - The Long-Term Commitments in Relationships and Decisions

Permanently.

For keeps" is a colloquial idiom that implies possessing or keeping something permanently. Originating from children's games in which the victor would keep the playing pieces, this expression is now broadly applied to any context involving permanent stakes or commitments, emphasizing the enduring nature of the decision or relationship.

Example Sentences

1. He won the match and the title was his for keeps.

   He won the match and keeps the title permanently.

2. The childhood friends traded baseball cards for keeps.

   The childhood friends exchanged baseball cards permanently.

3. She gave him her locket as a promise, for keeps, to always remember her.

   She gave him her locket as a lifelong promise to always remember her.