S: (v) continue, uphold, carry on, bear on, preserve (keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last) "preserve the peace in the family"; "continue the family tradition"; "Carry on the old traditions"
S: (v) obstinate (persist stubbornly) "he obstinates himself against all rational arguments"
S: (v) ask for it, ask for trouble (persist with actions or an attitude despite the probability that it will cause trouble) "He is asking for trouble with his behavior"
S: (v) plug, plug away (persist in working hard) "Students must plug away at this problem"
S: (v) prolong, sustain, keep up (lengthen or extend in duration or space) "We sustained the diplomatic negotiations as long as possible"; "prolong the treatment of the patient"; "keep up the good work"
S: (v) retain, continue, keep, keep on (allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature) "We cannot continue several servants any longer"; "She retains a lawyer"; "The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff"; "Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"; "We kept the work going as long as we could"; "She retained her composure"; "this garment retains its shape even after many washings"
S: (v) conserve, preserve, maintain, keep up (keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction) "We preserve these archeological findings"; "The old lady could not keep up the building"; "children must be taught to conserve our national heritage"; "The museum curator conserved the ancient manuscripts"
S: (v) save, preserve (to keep up and reserve for personal or special use) "She saved the old family photographs in a drawer"
S: (v) overprotect (protect excessively) "Don't overprotect your son--he is an adult now!"
S: (v) look out (to protect someone's interests) "A man's gotta look out for his family"
S: (v) cover (hold within range of an aimed firearm)
S: (v) guard, ward (watch over or shield from danger or harm; protect) "guard my possessions while I'm away"
S: (v) defend, guard, hold (protect against a challenge or attack) "Hold that position behind the trees!"; "Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks"