keep the liabilities

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "keep the liabilities" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts related to finance, accounting, or legal discussions where one is referring to maintaining or retaining certain financial obligations or responsibilities. Example: "In this merger, we need to decide whether to keep the liabilities associated with the acquired company."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Without reform, taxes will have to rise sharply in the future by up to 5p in the pound, says Watson Wyatt, and that's just to keep the liabilities from growing.The vast sums involved will make reform very difficult.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Yesterday, outraged that a member of the U.S. Senate was actively pushing to keep the liability cap for BP and all other oil companies at a minimum, Diane disrupted the Senate Energy hearing as the committee chair (and proponent of Big Oil, low liability caps and limiting the EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions) Senator Murkowski, took to the microphone.

Huffington Post

Unfortunately, in these matters there is no way to keep the door to liability only ajar; it is either wide open or shut tight.

Forbes

The privatisation of Royal Mail ensured that the state kept the pension liabilities – nationalising the debt, privatising the profit.

The Guardian - Books

Together, the accounts of financial assets and liabilities keep the details of the nature and structure of financial resources and how they are used by economic agents.

Financial Innovation

The government has arranged its budgeting to keep the great bulk of its liabilities off the books and out of sight.

Forbes

The woman used a limited liability company to keep the family name off the deed and, she hoped, out of the papers.

The New York Times

and seems to absolve the cloud service provider from all responsibility to keep the data secure, and from any liability should the data be lost, compromised or corrupted.

Journal of Cloud Computing: Advances, Systems and Applications

Spending by non-governmental public entities is another way to keep liabilities off the books.

The Economist

Fancy names may enable the government to keep Railtrack's liabilities off the public-sector borrowing requirement, but the fundamental issue cannot be fudged.

The Economist

By immunizing the gun industry from basic principles of legal liability, Congress kept the rights and repealed the responsibilities.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing financial planning or legal strategies, ensure that the context clearly defines which specific "liabilities" you intend to "keep", providing concrete examples to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "keep the liabilities" without specifying which liabilities are being discussed. Vague references can lead to misunderstandings about financial or legal obligations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "keep the liabilities" functions as a verb phrase with a direct object. Grammatically, it expresses the action of retaining or maintaining financial or legal obligations. Ludwig AI confirms this usage aligns with standard English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "keep the liabilities" refers to maintaining financial or legal obligations, a concept often encountered in business, finance, and law. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is grammatically correct and usable. While the phrase itself is not overly common, understanding its implications is crucial in various professional contexts. When using this phrase, ensure you specify which liabilities are being discussed to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "maintain the liabilities" or "retain the obligations" can be used to add variety to your writing, depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

maintain the liabilities

Replaces "keep" with "maintain", emphasizing the act of sustaining the liabilities over time.

retain the obligations

Substitutes both "keep" and "liabilities" with synonyms, altering the phrasing while preserving the meaning.

hold onto the liabilities

Uses a more informal expression, "hold onto", instead of "keep", suggesting retaining possession or responsibility.

assume the liabilities

Shifts the focus to taking on the liabilities, rather than simply keeping them.

shoulder the responsibilities

Replaces "liabilities" with "responsibilities", emphasizing the burden aspect.

bear the liabilities

Uses "bear" instead of "keep", suggesting enduring or carrying the liabilities.

manage the liabilities

Focuses on the active handling of liabilities, moving away from simple retention.

preserve the debts

Replaces "liabilities" with "debts", focusing on the financial aspect and using "preserve" to suggest conservation.

uphold the obligations

Shifts the context to fulfilling or defending the obligations, rather than just maintaining them.

carry the liabilities forward

Adds a temporal aspect, indicating the liabilities are being continued into the future.

FAQs

What does "keep the liabilities" mean in a business context?

In a business context, "keep the liabilities" means to retain or continue to be responsible for financial obligations, debts, or legal responsibilities. It might involve choosing to maintain existing debts rather than restructuring or eliminating them.

Are there situations where a company might intentionally "keep the liabilities"?

Yes, a company might intentionally "keep the liabilities" if restructuring them would be more costly or disadvantageous, if they are tied to valuable assets, or if they are strategically important for future operations. Another reason is to "assume the liabilities".

What are some alternatives to saying "keep the liabilities"?

You can use alternatives like "maintain the liabilities", "retain the obligations", or "hold onto the liabilities" depending on the specific context.

How does "keep the liabilities" differ from "reduce the liabilities"?

"Keep the liabilities" means maintaining the current level of debt or obligation, while "reduce the liabilities" implies taking steps to decrease the amount owed or the extent of legal responsibility. The opposite is "reduce the liabilities".