Emily Dickinson Lexicon

KER'CHIEF, n. [contracted from coverchief; Fr. couvrir, to cover, and chef, the head. Chaucer.]

1. A head dress; a cloth to cover the head. Shak.
2. A cloth used in dress. Hayward. The word is now seldom used, except in its compound, handkerchief, and sometimes neckerchief.

KER'CHIEF-ED, or KER'CHIEFT, a.

Dressed; hooded; covered. Milton.

KERF, n. [Sax. cyrf; ceorfan, cearfan, to cut, Eng. to carve; D. kerf, a notch; kerven, to cut; G. kerb, kerben, Ir. cearb.]

The cut of an ax, a saw, or other instrument; the notch or slit made in wood by cutting.

KERM'ES, n. [Ar. قِرْمِرٌ kirmiran Coccus baphica. Castell.]

In zoology, an obsolete name of the Coccus Ilicis, an insect produced upon the Quercus Ilex, a small species of oak growing in the South of Europe. This body is full of reddish juice, which is used in dyeing red. Hence the word crimson.

KERM'ES-MIN-ER-AL, n.

A salt composed of two equivalents of sesquisulphid of antimony with one equivalent of sesquoxyd of antimony. It has an orange-red color.

KERN, n.¹

1. An Irish footman or foot-soldier. Spenser.
2. In English law, an idle person or vagabond. Encyc.

KERN, n.²

1. A hand-mill consisting of two stones, one of which is turned by the hand; usually written Quern, – which see.
2. A churn. [Obs.]

KERN, v.i. [G. and D. kern, a kernel; G. kernen, to curdle.]

1. To harden, as corn in ripening. Carew.
2. To take the form of corns; to granulate. Grew.

KERN'-BA-BY, n. [corn and baby.]

An image dressed with corn, and carried before reapers to their harvest-home.

KERN'EL, n. [Sax. cyrnel, a little corn, grain or nut; G. and D. kern; Fr. cerneau; W. cwaren, a gland, a kernel.]

1. The edible substance contained in the shell of a nut. More.
2. Any thing included in a shell, husk or integument; a grain or corn; as, a kernel of wheat or oats.
3. The seed of pulpy fruit; as, the kernel of an apple. Bacon.
4. The central part of any thing; a small mass around which other matter is concreted; a nucleus. Arbuthnot.
5. A hard concretion in the flesh.

KERN'EL, v.i.

To harden or ripen into kernels; as the seeds of plants.

KER'NEL-ED, a.

Having a kernel.

KERN'EL-LY, a.

Full of kernels; resembling kernels.

KER'SEY, n. [D. kerzaai; Fr. cariset; Sp. carisea.]

A species of coarse woolen cloth; a coarse stuff made chiefly in Kent and Devonshire, England. Encyc.

KERVE, v.t.

To carve. [Not used.]

KERV'ER, n.

A carver. [Not used.]

KE'SAR, n. [from Cesar.]

An emperor. [Obs.] Spenser.

KES'LOP, n.

The stomach of a calf prepared for rennet. Grose.

KESTREL, n.

A fowl of the genus Falco, or hawk kind; called also stannel and windhover. It builds in hollow oaks, and feeds on quails and other small birds. Encyc.

KETCH, n. [Fr. quaiche; G. and D. kits.]

A vessel with two masts, a main and mizzen-mast, usually from 100 to 250 tons burden. Ketches are generally used as yachts or as bomb-vessels. The latter are called bombketches. Mar. Dict.

KETCH'UP, n.

A sauce. [See Catchup.]

KET'TLE, n. [Sax. cetl, cetel or cytel; G. kessel; D. ketel; Dan. kedel; Sw. kittel; Russ. kotel.]

A vessel of iron or other metal, with a wide mouth, usually without a cover, used for heating and boiling water or other liquor. Among the Tartars, a kettle represents a family, or as many as feed from one kettle. Among the Dutch, a battery of mortars sunk in the earth, is called a kettle. Encyc.

KET'TLE-DRUM, n.

An instrument of martial music, composed of two basins of copper or brass, rounded at the bottom and covered with vellum or goat-skin. Encyc.

KET'TLE-DRUM-MER, n.

The man who beats the kettle-drum.

KET'TLE-PINS, n.

Ninepins; skittles.