Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Kĕrl, n. p. 736See CARL.Kēr'mēs, n. p. 736The dried bodies of the females of the Coccus ilicis, an insect found on various species of oaks around the Mediterranean. They are round, about the size of a pea, and contain coloring matter…Kĕrn, n. p. 736An Irish footman or foot-soldier of the lowest or poorest rank. Now for our Irish wars; We must supplant those rude, rough-headed kerns. Shak. 2. Any kind of boor or low-lived person. We take a kern…Kē'rn, n. p. 736A hand-mill consisting of two stones, one of which is turned by the hand. [Usually written quern.] 2. [O. Eng. cherne, A-S. ceren, D. kern, karn, Dan. kierne. See CHURN.] A churn. [Obs.] 3.…Kĕrn, v. i. p. 736To harden, as corn in ripening. [Obs.] 2. To take the form of corns; to granulate; to set, as fruit. [Obs.] 3. (Type-founding.) To form with a kern. See KERN, n., No. 3.Kĕrn'-bā'by, n. p. 736An image dressed with corn, and carried before reapers to their harvest-home. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Kĕrn'el, n. p. 736A little grain or corn; a single seed of a grain-bearing or other plant; hence, any thing included in a shell, husk, or integument; the edible substance contained in the shell of a nut; as, a kernel…Kĕrn'el, v. i. p. 736To harden or ripen into kernels, as the seeds of plants.Kĕrn'eled, a. p. 736Having a kernel.Kĕrn'el-ly, a. p. 736Full of kernels; resembling kernels.Kĕrn'ish, a. p. 737Clownish; boorish. [Obs.] Milton.Kĕr'o-don, n. p. 737(Zoöl.) A genus of rodent quadrupeds found in South America. They are allied to the guinea-pig, but are a little larger, and are of an olive-gray color. Baird.Kĕr'o-līte, n. p. 737(Min.) A mineral of a white or green color, greasy feel, and vitreous or resinous luster, found in Silesia. It consists chiefly of hydrous silicate of magnesia.Ke-rō'na, n. p. 737(Zoöl.) A genus of infusoria found in vegetable infusions, or fresh stagnant water which has contained vegetable matter for some time. They have the body covered with hairs, those on the inferior…Kēr'o-sēne, n. p. 737A liquid hydrocarbon, or oil extracted from bituminous coal, used for illumination and other purposes.Kēr'sey, n. p. 737A species of coarse, woolen cloth, usually ribbed, woven from long wool. Simmonds.Kĕr'sey-mēre, n. p. 737A thin woolen cloth, generally woven from the finest wool; cassimere. See CASSIMERE.Kĕr'sey-nĕtte, n. p. 737A thin woolen stuff; cassinette.Kĕrve, v. t. p. 737To carve. [Obs.] See CARVE.Kĕrv'er, n. p. 737A carver. [Obs.] See CARVER.Kē'sar, n. p. 737An emperor. [Obs.] Kings and kesars at her feet did them prostrate. Spenser.Kēs'i-tah, n. p. 737A Hebrew gold coin worth about four dollars.Kēs'lop, n. p. 737The stomach of a calf prepared for rennet. Grose.Kēst, imp. p. 737of cast. [Obs.] See CAST.Kĕs'trel, n. p. 737(Ornith.) A small, slender hawk (Tinnunculus alandarius), of a reddish fawn color, streaked and spotted with white and black. It feeds upon insects and small mammals and birds, is common all over the…Kĕt, n. p. 737Carrion, or any sort of filth.Kētch, n. p. 737(Naut.) A vessel with two masts, a main and mizzen-mast, usually from one hundred to two hundred and fifty tons burden. ☞ Ketches are generally used as yachts or as bomb-vessels. The latter are…Kĕtch'up, n. p. 737A sauce. See CATCHUP.Kēt'tle, n. p. 737A vessel of iron, or other metal, with a wide mouth, usually without a cover, used for heating and boiling water or other liquor.Kĕt'tle-drūm, n. p. 737A drum made of a copper vessel, usually hemispherical, or shaped like a kettle, covered with parchment. ☞ Kettle-drums were formerly used, in pairs, in martial music for cavalry, but are now chiefly…Kēt'tle-drūm'mer, n. p. 737One who plays on a kettle-drum.Kĕt'tle-hăt, n. p. 737A cap of iron worn by knights in the middle ages. [Obs.] Fairholt.Kĕt'tle-pins, n. p. 737Ninepins; skittles. [Obs.] Shelton.Keu'per, n. p. 737(Geol.) The upper division of the Triassic formation; new red sandstone.Kēv'el, n. p. 737(Naut.) A piece of timber serving to belay great ropes to. Totten. 2. (Zool.) A species of antelope, found in Africa, resembling the gazelle.Kēv'el-head, n. p. 737(Naut.) A piece of timber used as a kevel.Kēx, n. p. 737The dry stalk of the hemlock, or of other plants; a dry husk or covering. “Though the rough kex break The starred mosaic.” Tennyson. When the kex, or husk, is broken, he proveth a fair flying…Kēy, n. p. 737A fastener; that which fastens; as a piece of wood in the frame of a building, or in a chain. 2. An instrument which serves to shut or open a lock by being inserted into it, and made, by turning, to…Kēy, n. p. 737A ledge of rocks near the surface of the water; an island rising little above the surface, as in the West Indies. 2. A bank or wharf built on the side of a river or harbor, for the convenience of…Kēy, v. t. p. 737To fasten or secure firmly; to fasten with keys or wedge-shaped pieces of wood or iron. Francis.Key'age, n. p. 737Money paid for the use of a key or quay.Kēy'-bĕd, n. p. 737A groove or excavation made to receive a key for the purpose of binding the parts, as of a machine, tightly and firmly together; a key-seat. [See Illust. of Key-seat.]Kēy'-bōard, n. p. 737(Mus.) The whole range of the keys of an organ or forte-piano.Kēy'-bū'gle, n. p. 737See KENT-BUGLE.Kēy'-cōld, a. p. 737Cold as a metallic key; lifeless. [Obs.] Shak.Kēyed, a. p. 737Furnished with keys; as, a keyed instrument. 2. Set to a key, as a tune. Keyed bugle. See KENT-BUGLE.Kēy'-hōle, n. p. 737A hole or aperture in a door or lock, for receiving a key. 2. (Carp.) A hole or excavation in beams intended to be joined together, to receive the key which fastens them.Key-hole limpet or Key-hole saw p. 737a gastropodous mollusk of the genus Fissurella, so called from having in the summit of the shell an oval fissure constricted in the middle so as to resemble a key-hole. Baird. — Key-hole saw, a…Kēy'-nōte, n. p. 737(Mus.) 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.Kēy'-sēat, n. p. 737(Mach.) A rectangular groove, especially in a wheel and shaft, to receive a key, so as to prevent one part from turning on the other; — called also key-bed and key-way.Kēy'-stōne, n. p. 737(Arch.) 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.Kēy'-tōne, n. p. 737(Mus.) See KEY-NOTE.Kēy'-wāy, n. p. 737See KEY-SEAT.Khā'liff, n. p. 737See CALIPH.Khām'sin, n. p. 737See KAMSIN.Khān, n. p. 737A prince; a king; a chief; — so called among the Tartars, and in countries now or formerly governed by them.Khān, n. p. 737An Eastern inn or caravan-sary.Khān'ate, n. p. 737The dominion or jurisdiction of a khan. Tooke.Khā'ya, n. p. 737(Bot.) A genus of plants containing but a single species (K. Senegalensis), found in Western Africa. It is a large, handsome tree, the wood being of a fine quality, and of a color resembling that of…Khĕn'nā, n. p. 737A Persian dye for hair, used in the baths of Constantinople. Simmonds.