Emily Dickinson Lexicon

KEX, n.

Hemlock; the stem of the teasel; a dry stalk. [See Kecksy.]

KEY, n.¹ [kē. Sax. cæg.]

1. In a general sense, a fastener; that which fastens; as, a piece of wood in the frame of a building, or in a chain, &c.
2. An instrument for shutting or opening a lock, by pushing the bolt one way or the other. Keys are of various forms, and fitted to the wards of the locks to which they belong.
3. An instrument by which something is screwed or turned; as, the key of a watch or other chronometer.
4. The stone which binds an arch. [See Key-stone.]
5. In an organ or harpsichord, the key, or finger key, is a little lever or piece in the fore part by which the instrument is played on by the fingers.
6. In music, the key, or key note, is the fundamental note or tone to which the whole piece is accommodated, and with which it usually begins and always ends. There are two keys, one of the major, and one of the minor mode. Key sometimes signifies a scale or system of intervals. – Rousseau.
7. An index, or that which serves to explain a cipher. Hence,
8. That which serves to explain any thing difficult to be understood.
9. In the Romish church, ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or the power of the pope; or the power of excommunicating or absolving. – Encyc.
10. A ledge or lay of rocks near the surface of the water.
11. The husk containing the seed of an ash. – Evelyn.

KEY, n.² [Ir. ceigh; D. kaai; G. kai; Fr. quai; Arm. qae. The word is probably contracted from the root of the preceding word, signifying, to hold, make fast, restrain. Class Cg.]

A bank or wharf built on the side of a river or harbor, for the convenience of loading and unloading ships, and securing them in their stations. Hence, keys are furnished with posts, rings, cranes, capstans, &c. It sometimes written Quay. – Encyc.

KEY'AGE, n.

Money paid for the use of a key or quay.

KEY'-BOARD, n.

In music, the whole range of the keys of an organ or forte-piano.

KEY'-COLD, a.

Lifeless. [Not in use.]

KEY'ED, a.

1. Furnished with keys; as, a keyed instrument.
2. Set to a key, as a tune.

KEY'HOLE, n.

A hole or aperture in a door or lock, for receiving a key.

KEY'STONE, n.

The stone on the top or middle of an arch or vault, which being wider at the top than at the bottom, enters like a wedge and binds the work; properly, the fastening stone.

KHAN, n. [kaun.]

1. In Asia, a governor; a king; a prince; a chief. In Persia, the word denotes the governor of a province; among the Tartars, it is equivalent to king or prince. – Eton.
2. An inn.

KHAN'ATE, n. [kaun'ate.]

The dominion or jurisdiction of a khan. – Tooke.

KIBE, n. [This word has the elements of chap, gap, gape. Class Gb, No. 7. Perhaps it is of Persian origin, كَفِيدَنْ kafidan, to crack, to split. Qu. Dan. kiebe, the chops.]

A chap or crack in the flesh occasioned by cold; an ulcerated chilblain; as in the heels.

KIB'ED, a.

Chapped; cracked with cold; affected with chilblains; as, kibed heels. – Darwin.

KIB'Y, a.

Affected with kibes.

KICK, n.

A blow with the foot or feet; a striking or thrust of the foot.

KICK, v.i.

1. To practice striking with the foot or feet; as, a horse accustomed to kick.
2. To thrust out the foot or feet with violence, either in wantonness, resistance, anger or contempt; to manifest opposition. Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice? – 1 Sam. ii. Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked. – Deut. xxxii. It is hard for thee to kick against the goads. – Acts ix.

KICK, v.t. [W. ciciaw; from cic, the foot. – Owen. Pers. كِج, a kicking.]

To strike with the foot; as, a horse kicks a servant; a man kicks a dog.

KICK'ED, pp.

Struck with the foot or feet.

KICK'ER, n.

One that kicks.

KICK'ING, n.

The act of striking with the foot, or of yerking the foot with violence. What can not be effected by kicking, may sometimes be done by coaxing.

KICK'ING, ppr.

Striking with the foot; thrusting out the foot with violence.

KICK'SHAW, n. [corrupted from Fr. quelque chose, something.]

1. Something fantastical or uncommon, or something that has no particular name.
2. A dish so changed by cooking, that it can scarcely be known. – Johnson.

KICK'SHOE, n.

A dancer, in contempt; a caperer; a buffoon. [A word used only by Milton.]

KID, n. [Dan. kid; Sw. kid, kidling; W. cidws, a goat, cidysen, a young goat; L. hædus; vulgar Gr. γιδα; Sans. ada; Turk. getsi; Heb. Ch. גדי; Syr. ܓܕܝܐ, a kid; Russ. kidayu, to throw, to bring forth young.]

1. A young goat.
2. A faggot; a bundle of heath and furze. – Eng.

KID, v.t.¹ [or v. i.]

1. To bring forth a young goat.
2. To make into a bundle, as faggots. – Eng.