KERF, kerf, _n._ the groove made by a saw: wool cut off at once by a wool-shearing machine: a single layer of hay, turf, &c., cut.
KERION, k[=e]'ri-on, _n._ a suppurative inflammation of the hair-follicles of the scalp. [Gr.]
KERITE, k[=e]'r[=i]t, _n._ a kind of artificial vulcanite of india-rubber and animal or vegetable oil. [Gr. _k[=e]ros_, wax.]
KERMES, k[.e]r'm[=e]z, _n._ a dye-stuff which consists of the bodies of the females of a species of coccus. [Pers.]
KERMESS, k[.e]r'mes, _n._ a wake or fair in the Low Countries. [Dut.
_kermis_--_kerk_, church, _mis_, mass.]
KERN. See QUERN.
KERN, k[.e]rn _n._ (_Scot._) the last sheaf of the harvest: a harvest-home--also KIRN.--_n._ KERN'-B[=A]'BY, an image decorated with blades of corn, &c., carried before reapers at their harvest-home. [A variant of _corn_.]
KERN, KERNE, k[.e]rn, _n._ an Irish foot-soldier: a boor.--_adj._ KERN'ISH, clownish. [Ir. _ceatharnach_.]
KERN, k[.e]rn, _v.i._ to granulate.
KERN, k[.e]rn, _n._ (_print._) that part of a type which overhangs the stem or shank.
KERNEL, k[.e]r'nel, _n._ anything in a husk or shell: the substance in the shell of a nut: the seed of a pulpy fruit: the important part of anything.--_adj._ KER'NELLY, full of, or resembling, kernels. [A.S.
_cyrnel_--_corn_, grain, and dim. suffix _-el_; Ger. _kern_, a grain.]
KEROSENE, ker'o-s[=e]n, _n._ an oil obtained from bituminous coal, used for lamps, &c. [Gr. _k[=e]ros_, wax.]
KERSEY, k[.e]r'zi, _n._ a coarse woollen cloth. [Perh. from _Kersey_ in Suffolk.]
KERSEYMERE, k[.e]r'zi-m[=e]r or k[.e]r-zi-m[.e]r', _n._ twilled cloth of the finest wools. [A corr. of _cassimere_, _cashmere_.]
KERVE, k[.e]rv, _v.t._ (_Spens._) a form of carve.
KESAR, k[=e]'zar, _n._ Same as KAISER.
KESTREL, kes'trel, _n._ a small species of falcon. [O. Fr.
_quercerelle_--L. _querquedula_.]
KET, ket, _n._ (_Scot._) carrion. [Ice. _kjot_.]
KET, ket, _n._ matted wool. [Scot.]
KETCH, kech, _n._ a small two-masted vessel, generally used as a yacht or a bomb-vessel. [Corr. from Turk. _qaiq_, a boat, whence Fr. _caque_.]
KETCHUP, kech'up, _n._ a sauce for flavouring soups, meats, &c., flavoured with mushrooms, tomatoes, &c.--Also CATCH'UP, CAT'SUP. [East Ind.
_kitjap_.]
KETTLE, ket'l, _n._ a vessel of metal, for heating or boiling liquids: a cavity like a kettle in rock, sand, &c.: (_Shak._) kettle-drum.--_ns._ KETT'LE-DRUM, a musical instrument now used chiefly in orchestras and in cavalry bands, consisting of a hollow brass hemisphere with a parchment head, sounded by soft-headed elastic drumsticks: a tea-party; KETT'LE-DRUM'MER; KETT'LE-HOLD'ER, a little mat, &c., for holding a kettle when hot.--_n.pl._ KETT'LE-PINS, skittle-pins.--A KETTLE OF FISH, or A PRETTY KETTLE OF FISH, a task of great difficulty, an awkward mess--most probably in this sense connected with _kiddle_. [A.S. _cetel_; Ger.
_kessel_, Goth. _katils_; all perh. from L. _catillus_, dim. of _catinus_, a deep cooking-vessel.]
KEX, keks, _n._ the dry stalk of the hemlock or other umbelliferous plants.--Also KECKS, KECK'SY (prop. _adj._), and KECK.
KEY, k[=e], _n._ an instrument for shutting or opening a lock: that by which something is screwed or turned: the middle stone of an arch: a piece of wood let into another piece crosswise to prevent warping: (_mus._) one of the small levers in musical instruments for producing notes: the fundamental note of a piece of music: that which explains a mystery: a book containing answers to exercises, &c.--_ns._ KEY'BOARD, the keys or levers in a piano or organ arranged along a flat board; KEY'-B[=U]'GLE, a bugle with keys, having a compass of two octaves including semitones.--_adjs._ KEY'-COLD (_Shak._), cold as a key, lifeless; KEYED, furnished with keys, as a musical instrument: set to a particular key, as a tune.--_ns._ KEY'HOLE, the hole in which a key of a door, &c., is inserted; KEY'NOTE, the key or fundamental note of a piece of music; any central principle or controlling thought; KEY'-PIN, the pivot on which a pipe-key turns: a pin serving as fulcrum for a key of an organ, &c.; KEY'-PLATE, the escutcheon around a keyhole; KEY'RING, a ring for holding a bunch of keys; KEY'-SEAT, a groove for receiving a key, to prevent one piece of machinery from turning on another; KEY'STONE, the stone at the apex of an arch: the chief element in any system.--HAVE THE KEY OF THE STREET (_coll._), to be locked out: to be homeless; POWER OF THE KEYS, the power to loose and bind, to administer ecclesiastical discipline--a special authority conferred by Christ on Peter (Matt. xvi. 19), or Peter in conjunction with the other apostles, and claimed by the popes as the alleged successors to St Peter.
Others explain it as belonging only to the apostles themselves, as descending to the bishops and clergy of the Christian Church, or as belonging to all Christ's disciples alike. [A.S. _caeg_, a key.]
KEY, k[=e], _n._ (_Dryden_). Same as QUAY.
KEY, k[=e], _n._ a low island near the coast.--Also CAY.
KEYS, k[=e]z, _n.pl._ a contraction of HOUSE OF KEYS, a house of 24 representatives constituting the lower branch of the Legislature (Court of Tynwald) of the Isle of Man, self-elective down to 1866. [Manx _kiare-as-feed_, four-and-twenty.]
KHAKI, ka'ki, _adj._ dust-coloured.--_n._ a light drab cloth used for some East Indian and other uniforms.
KHALIF. See CALIF.
KHAMSIN, kam'sin, _n._ a hot south-west wind in Egypt, blowing for about fifty days from about the middle of March. [Ar.]
KHAN, kan, _n._ an Eastern inn, a caravansary. [Turk.,--Pers. _kh[=a]na_, a house, a tent.]
KHAN, kan, _n._ in North Asia, a prince or chief: in Persia, a governor.--_n._ KHAN'ATE, the dominion or jurisdiction of a khan. [Pers.
_kh[=a]n_, lord or prince, a Tartar word.]
KHEDIVE, ked-[=e]v', _n._ the title since 1867 of the viceroy or ruler of Egypt.--_n._ KHEDI'VIATE, the office of the khedive, or his territory.
[Fr.,--Pers. _khad[=i]w_, prince.]
KHEL, kel, _n._ in Afghanistan, a clan or family connection--a sociological group between the tribe and the family.
KHITMUTGAR, kit'mut-gar, _n._ a table-servant, under-butler. [Hind.]
KHUTBAH, kut'ba, _n._ a Mohammedan prayer and sermon delivered in the mosques on Fridays.--Also KHOT'BAH.
KIAUGH, ky[=o]h, _n._ (_Scot._) care, trouble.
KIBBLE, kib'l, _n._ the bucket of a draw-well.--_n._ KIBB'LE-CHAIN, the chain for drawing up a bucket.
KIBE, k[=i]b, _n._ a chilblain. [W. _cibwst_, from _cib_, a cup, _gwst_, a disease.]
KIBITKA, ki-bit'ka, _n._ a Russian wagon. [Russ.]
KIBLAH, kib'la, _n._ the point toward which Mohammedans turn in prayer.--Also KEB'LAH.
KICK, kik, _v.t._ to hit with the foot.--_v.i._ to thrust out the foot with violence: to show opposition or resistance: (of a gun) to recoil violently (see also BULLET): (_print._) to work a press by impact of the foot on a treadle.--_n._ a blow with the foot: the turn of kicking the ball at football, the person who kicks or kicks off: the recoil of a gun: (_slang_) fashion.--_adj._ KICK'ABLE.--_ns._ KICK'ER, one who kicks, esp. a horse; KICK'-OFF, the first kick in a game of football; KICK'-UP, a disturbance.--KICK OVER THE TRACES, to throw off control; KICK, or STRIKE, THE BEAM, to rise, as the lighter scale of a balance, so as to strike against the beam--hence to be of little weight or importance; KICK THE BUCKET (see BUCKET); KICK UP A DUST or ROW, to create a disturbance.--DROP KICK, a kick made as the ball, dropped from the hand, rebounds from the ground; PLACE KICK, a kick made when the ball is lying on the ground. [M.
E. _kiken_--W. _cicio_, to kick, Gael. _ceig_.]
KICKSHAWS, kik'shawz, _n._ something uncommon or fantastical that has no name: (_cook._) a fantastical dish. [Corr. of Fr. _quelque chose_, something.]
KICKSY-WICKSY, kik'si-wik'si, _adj._ flickering, uncertain.--_n._ (_Shak._) a wife.
KID, kid, _n._ a young goat: (_slang_) a child, esp. a boy: (_pl._) gloves of kid leather.--_adj._ made of kid leather or imitation kid leather.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ to bring forth a goat:--_pr.p._ kid'ding; _pa.p._ kid'ded.--_ns._ KID'-FOX (_Shak._), a young fox; KID'LING, a young kid. [Dan. _kid_; cf. Ice. _kidh_; Ger. _kitze_, a young goat.]
KID, kid, _n._ a small tub.--Also KIT.