Emily Dickinson Lexicon

KID, v.t.² [Sax. cythan.]

To show, discover, or make known. [Obs.] – Gower.

KID'DED, pp.

Brought forth, as a young kid.

KID'DER, n. [Sw. kyta, to truck.]

An engrosser of corn, or one who carries corn, provisions and merchandise about the country for sale. – Eng.

KID'DLE, n.

A kind of wear in a river for catching fish; corruptly pronounced kittle. – Mag. Charta.

KID'DOW, n.

A web-footed fowl, called also guillemot, sea-hen, or skout. – Chambers.

KID'LING, n. [Sw.]

A young kid. – Browne.

KID'LING, n.

A little kid. – Southey. [1841 Addenda only.]

KID'NAP, v.i. [G. kinderdieb; D. kinderdief, child thief. Kid is usually supposed to be contracted from kind, a child, in which case nap may be the oriental גנב, to steal. See Knab.]

To steal a human being, man, woman or child; or to seize and forcibly carry away any person whatever from his own country or state into another. – Encyc.

KID'NAP-PED, pp.

Stolen or forcibly carried away; as a human being.

KID'NAP-PER, n.

One who steals or forcibly carries away a human being; a man-stealer.

KID'NAP-PING, n.

The act of stealing, or forcible abduction of a human being from his own country or state. This crime was capital by the Jewish law, and in modern times is highly penal.

KIDNAP-PING, ppr.

Stealing or forcibly carrying away human beings.

KID'NEY, n. [I have not found this word in any other language.]

1. The kidneys are two oblong flattened bodies, extending from the eleventh and twelfth ribs to the fourth lumbar vertebra, behind the intestines. Their use is to separate the urine from the blood. – Parr. Quincy.
2. Sort; kind. – Shak. [A ludicrous use of the word.]
3. A cant term for a waiting servant.

KID'NEY-BEAN, n.

A sort of bean so named from its resemblance to the kidney. It is of the genus Phaseolus.

KIDNEY-BEAN-TREE, n. [see BEAN-TREE, n.]

A name given to the Glycine.

KID'NEY-FORM, or KID'NEY-SHAP'ED, a.

Having the form or shape of a kidney. – Kirwan.

KID'NEY-VETCH, n.

A plant of the genus Anthyllis.

KID'NEY-WORT, n.

A plant of the genus Saxifraga.

KIF'FE-KILL, or KEF'FE-KILL, n.

A mineral, the Meerschaum – which see.

KIL, n.

A Dutch word, signifying a channel or bed of a river, and hence a stream.

KIL'DER-KIN, n. [Qu. D. kinderkin.]

A small barrel; a liquid measure containing two firkins, or 16 or 18 gallons. – Encyc.

KILL, v.t. [The Dutch has keel, the throat, and keelen, to cut the throat, to kill. In Russ. kolyu is to stab. But this word seems to be allied to Sax. cwellan, to kill, to quell, that is, to beat down, to lay; and if so, it may be connected with D. kwellen, G. quälen, Sw. quälia, Dan. quæler, to torment, but in Danish to stifle, choke or quell. This affinity is rendered probable by the seamen's phrase, to kill the wind, that is, to allay or destroy it.]

1. To deprive of life, animal or vegetable, in any manner or by any means. To kill an animal or a plant, is to put an end to the vital functions, either by destroying or essentially injuring the organs necessary to life, or by causing them to cease from action. An animal may be killed by the sword or by poison, by disease or by suffocation. A strong solution of salt will kill plants.
2. To butcher; to slaughter for food; as, to kill an ox.
3. To quell; to appease; to calm; to still; as, in seamen's language, a shower of rain kills the wind.

KIL'LAS, n.

An argillaceous stone of a pale gray or greenish gray, of a lamellar or coarsely granular texture, found in Cornwall, England. – Nicholson.

KILL'DEE, n.

A small bird in America, so called from its voice or note; Charadrius vociferus.

KILL'ED, pp.

Deprived of life; quelled; calmed.