Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter K - Page 5

Ketine (n.) One of a series of organic bases obtained by the reduction of certain isonitroso compounds of the ketones. In general they are unstable oily substances having a pungent aromatic odor.

Ketmie (n.) The name of certain African species of Hibiscus, cultivated for the acid of their mucilage.

Ketol (n.) One of a series of series of complex nitrogenous substances, represented by methyl ketol and related to indol.

Ketone (n.) One of a large class of organic substances resembling the aldehydes, obtained by the distillation of certain salts of organic acids and consisting of carbonyl (CO) united with two hydrocarbon radicals. In general the ketones are colorless volatile liquids having a pungent ethereal odor.

Ketonic (a.) Pertaining to, or derived from, a ketone; as, a ketonic acid.

Kettle (n.) A metallic vessel, with a wide mouth, often without a cover, used for heating and boiling water or other liguids.

Kettledrum (n.) A drum made of thin copper in the form of a hemispherical kettle, with parchment stretched over the mouth of it.

Kettledrum (n.) An informal social party at which a light collation is offered, held in the afternoon or early evening. Cf. Drum, n., 4 and 5.

Kettledrummer (n.) One who plays on a kettledrum.

Keuper (n.) The upper division of the European Triassic. See Chart of Geology.

Kevel (n.) A strong cleat to which large ropes are belayed.

Kevel (n.) A stone mason's hammer.

Kevel (n.) Alt. of Kevin

Kevin (n.) The gazelle.

Kever (v. t. &) i. To cover.

Keverchief (n.) A kerchief.

Kex (n.) A weed; a kecksy.

Kex (n.) A dry husk or covering.

Key (n.) An instrument by means of which the bolt of a lock is shot or drawn; usually, a removable metal instrument fitted to the mechanism of a particular lock and operated by turning in its place.

Key (n.) An instrument which is turned like a key in fastening or adjusting any mechanism; as, a watch key; a bed key, etc.

Key (n.) That part of an instrument or machine which serves as the means of operating it; as, a telegraph key; the keys of a pianoforte, or of a typewriter.

Key (n.) A position or condition which affords entrance, control, pr possession, etc.; as, the key of a line of defense; the key of a country; the key of a political situation. Hence, that which serves to unlock, open, discover, or solve something unknown or difficult; as, the key to a riddle; the key to a problem.

Key (n.) That part of a mechanism which serves to lock up, make fast, or adjust to position.

Key (n.) A piece of wood used as a wedge.

Key (n.) The last board of a floor when laid down.

Key (n.) A keystone.

Key (n.) That part of the plastering which is forced through between the laths and holds the rest in place.

Key (n.) A wedge to unite two or more pieces, or adjust their relative position; a cotter; a forelock.

Key (n.) A bar, pin or wedge, to secure a crank, pulley, coupling, etc., upon a shaft, and prevent relative turning; sometimes holding by friction alone, but more frequently by its resistance to shearing, being usually embedded partly in the shaft and partly in the crank, pulley, etc.

Key (n.) An indehiscent, one-seeded fruit furnished with a wing, as the fruit of the ash and maple; a samara; -- called also key fruit.

Key (n.) A family of tones whose regular members are called diatonic tones, and named key tone (or tonic) or one (or eight), mediant or three, dominant or five, subdominant or four, submediant or six, supertonic or two, and subtonic or seven. Chromatic tones are temporary members of a key, under such names as " sharp four," "flat seven," etc. Scales and tunes of every variety are made from the tones of a key.

Key (n.) The fundamental tone of a movement to which its modulations are referred, and with which it generally begins and ends; keynote.

Key (n.) Fig: The general pitch or tone of a sentence or utterance.

Keved (imp. & p. p.) of Key

Keying (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Key

Key (v. t.) To fasten or secure firmly; to fasten or tighten with keys or wedges.

Keyage (n.) Wharfage; quayage.

Keyboard (n.) The whole arrangement, or one range, of the keys of an organ, typewriter, etc.

Key-cold (a.) Cold as a metallic key; lifeless.

Keyed (a.) Furnished with keys; as, a keyed instrument; also, set to a key, as a tune.

Keyhole (n.) A hole or apertupe in a door or lock, for receiving a key.

Keyhole (n.) A hole or excavation in beams intended to be joined together, to receive the key which fastens them.

Keyhole (n.) a mortise for a key or cotter.

Keynote (n.) The tonic or first tone of the scale in which a piece or passage is written; the fundamental tone of the chord, to which all the modulations of the piece are referred; -- called also key tone.

Keynote (n.) The fundamental fact or idea; that which gives the key; as, the keynote of a policy or a sermon.

Keyseat (v. t.) To form a key seat, as by cutting. See Key seat, under Key.

Keystone (n.) The central or topmost stone of an arch. This in some styles is made different in size from the other voussoirs, or projects, or is decorated with carving. See Illust. of Arch.

Key tone () See Keynote.

Keyway (n.) See Key way, under Key.

Khaliff (n.) See Caliph.

Khamsin (n.) Same as Kamsin.

Khan (n.) A king; a prince; a chief; a governor; -- so called among the Tartars, Turks, and Persians, and in countries now or formerly governed by them.

Khan (n.) An Eastern inn or caravansary.

Khanate (n.) Dominion or jurisdiction of a khan.

Khaya (n.) A lofty West African tree (Khaya Senegalensis), related to the mahogany, which it resembles in the quality of the wood. The bark is used as a febrifuge.

Khedive (n.) A governor or viceroy; -- a title granted in 1867 by the sultan of Turkey to the ruler of Egypt.

Khenna (n.) See Henna.

Kholah (n.) The Indian jackal.

Kholsun (n.) The dhole.

Khutbah (n.) An address or public prayer read from the steps of the pulpit in Mohammedan mosques, offering glory to God, praising Mohammed and his descendants, and the ruling princes.

Kiabooca wood () See Kyaboca wood.

Kiang (n.) The dziggetai.

Kibble (v. t.) To bruise; to grind coarsely; as, kibbled oats.

Kibble (n.) A large iron bucket used in Cornwall and Wales for raising ore out of mines.

Kibblings (n. pl.) Portions of small fish used for bait on the banks of Newfoundland.

Kibe (n.) A chap or crack in the flesh occasioned by cold; an ulcerated chilblain.

Kibed (a.) Chapped; cracked with cold; affected with chilblains; as kibed heels.

Kibitkas (pl. ) of Kibitka

Kibitka (n.) A tent used by the Kirghiz Tartars.

Kibitka (n.) A rude kind of Russian vehicle, on wheels or on runners, sometimes covered with cloth or leather, and often used as a movable habitation.

Kiblah (n.) See Keblah.

Kiby (a.) Affected with kibes.

Kichil (n.) See Kechil.

Kicred (imp. & p. p.) of Kick

Kicking (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Kick

Kick (v. t.) To strike, thrust, or hit violently with the foot; as, a horse kicks a groom; a man kicks a dog.

Kick (v. i.) To thrust out the foot or feet with violence; to strike out with the foot or feet, as in defense or in bad temper; esp., to strike backward, as a horse does, or to have a habit of doing so. Hence, figuratively: To show ugly resistance, opposition, or hostility; to spurn.

Kick (v. i.) To recoil; -- said of a musket, cannon, etc.

Kick (n.) A blow with the foot or feet; a striking or thrust with the foot.

Kick (n.) The projection on the tang of the blade of a pocket knife, which prevents the edge of the blade from striking the spring. See Illust. of Pocketknife.

Kick (n.) A projection in a mold, to form a depression in the surface of the brick.

Kick (n.) The recoil of a musket or other firearm, when discharged.

Kickable (a.) Capable or deserving of being kicked.

Kickapoos (n. pl.) A tribe of Indians which formerly occupied the region of Northern Illinois, allied in language to the Sacs and Foxes.

Kicker (n.) One who, or that which, kicks.

Kickshaw (n.) See Kickshaws, the correct singular.

Kickshawses (pl. ) of Kickshaws

Kickshaws (n.) Something fantastical; any trifling, trumpery thing; a toy.

Kickshaws (n.) A fancy dish; a titbit; a delicacy.

Kickshoe (n.) A kickshaws.

Kicksy-wicksy (n.) Alt. of Kicky-wisky

Kicky-wisky (n.) That which is restless and uneasy.

Kicksy-wicksy (a.) Fantastic; restless; as, kicksy-wicksy flames.

Kickup (n.) The water thrush or accentor.

Kid (n.) A young goat.

Kid (n.) A young child or infant; hence, a simple person, easily imposed on.

Kid (n.) A kind of leather made of the skin of the young goat, or of the skin of rats, etc.

Kid (n.) Gloves made of kid.

Kid (n.) A small wooden mess tub; -- a name given by sailors to one in which they receive their food.

Kidded (imp. & p. p.) of Kid

[previous page] [Index] [next page]