[General] Earn your keep vs. Earn your living

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EnglishLearner1990

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
I've read some examples on the expression "earn your keep" but I don't really understand how it differs from "earn your living". From the
definitions I've found in dictionaries (and from my experience) they are very close in meaning (i.e. both mean "get money to pay for the
things you need to live"), but there must be some nuance I'm not getting.

Are they interchangeable?

Thank you in advance.
 
You earn your keep if someone is keeping you. Say you are living on my farm. I would expect you to do enough work around the farm to make it worthwhile for me to keep you there.
 
You earn your keep if someone is keeping you. Say you are living on my farm. I would expect you to do enough work around the farm to make it worthwhile for me to keep you there.

...and you earn a living by making enough money at a job to support yourself and possibly your family.
 
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