Dictionary
Showing 401-450 of 1282 results
Ketmie
() The name of certain African species of Hibiscus, cultivated for the acid of their mucilage.
Ketol
() One of a series of series of complex nitrogenous substances, represented by methyl ketol and related to indol.
Ketone
() 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
() Pertaining to, or derived from, a ketone; as, a ketonic acid.
Kettle
() A metallic vessel, with a wide mouth, often without a cover, used for heating and boiling water or other liguids.
Kettledrum
() A drum made of thin copper in the form of a hemispherical kettle, with parchment stretched over the mouth of it.
Kettledrum
() 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
() One who plays on a kettledrum.
Keuper
() The upper division of the European Triassic. See Chart of Geology.
Kevel
() A strong cleat to which large ropes are belayed.
Kevel
() A stone mason's hammer.
Kevel
() Alt. of Kevin
Kevin
() The gazelle.
Kever
() i. To cover.
Keverchief
() A kerchief.
Kex
() A weed; a kecksy.
Kex
() A dry husk or covering.
Key
() 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
() An instrument which is turned like a key in fastening or adjusting any mechanism; as, a watch key; a bed key, etc.
Key
() 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
() 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
() That part of a mechanism which serves to lock up, make fast, or adjust to position.
Key
() A piece of wood used as a wedge.
Key
() The last board of a floor when laid down.
Key
() A keystone.
Key
() That part of the plastering which is forced through between the laths and holds the rest in place.
Key
() A wedge to unite two or more pieces, or adjust their relative position; a cotter; a forelock.
Key
() 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
() An indehiscent, one-seeded fruit furnished with a wing, as the fruit of the ash and maple; a samara; -- called also key fruit.
Key
() 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
() The fundamental tone of a movement to which its modulations are referred, and with which it generally begins and ends; keynote.
Key
() Fig: The general pitch or tone of a sentence or utterance.
Keved
() of Key
Keying
() of Key
Key
() To fasten or secure firmly; to fasten or tighten with keys or wedges.
Keyage
() Wharfage; quayage.
Keyboard
() The whole arrangement, or one range, of the keys of an organ, typewriter, etc.
Key-cold
() Cold as a metallic key; lifeless.
Keyed
() Furnished with keys; as, a keyed instrument; also, set to a key, as a tune.
Keyhole
() A hole or apertupe in a door or lock, for receiving a key.
Keyhole
() A hole or excavation in beams intended to be joined together, to receive the key which fastens them.
Keyhole
() a mortise for a key or cotter.
Keynote
() 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
() The fundamental fact or idea; that which gives the key; as, the keynote of a policy or a sermon.
Keyseat
() To form a key seat, as by cutting. See Key seat, under Key.
Keystone
() 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
() See Key way, under Key.
Khaliff
() See Caliph.
Khamsin
() Same as Kamsin.