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Key   /ki/   Listen
adjective
key  adj.  Essential; most important; as, the key fact in the inquiry; the president was the key player inthe negotiations.


noun
Key  n.  
1.
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.
2.
A small device which is inserted into a mechanism and turned like a key to fasten, adjust, or wind it; as, a watch key; a bed key; the winding key for a clock, etc.
3.
One of a set of small movable parts on an instrument or machine which, by being depressed, serves as the means of operating it; the complete set of keys is usually called the keyboard; as, the keys of a piano, an organ, an accordion, a computer keyboard, or of a typewriter. The keys may operate parts of the instrument by a mechanical action, as on a piano, or by closing an electrical circuit, as on a computer keyboard. See also senses 12 and 13.
4.
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. Similarly, see also senses 14 and 15. "Those who are accustomed to reason have got the true key of books." "Who keeps the keys of all the creeds."
5.
That part of a mechanism which serves to lock up, make fast, or adjust to position.
6.
(Arch.)
(a)
A piece of wood used as a wedge.
(b)
The last board of a floor when laid down.
7.
(Masonry)
(a)
A keystone.
(b)
That part of the plastering which is forced through between the laths and holds the rest in place.
8.
(Mach.)
(a)
A wedge to unite two or more pieces, or adjust their relative position; a cotter; a forelock.
(b)
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.
9.
(Bot.) An indehiscent, one-seeded fruit furnished with a wing, as the fruit of the ash and maple; a samara; called also key fruit.
10.
(Mus.)
(a)
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.
(b)
The fundamental tone of a movement to which its modulations are referred, and with which it generally begins and ends; keynote. "Both warbling of one song, both in one key."
11.
Fig: The general pitch or tone of a sentence or utterance. "You fall at once into a lower key."
12.
(Teleg.) A metallic lever by which the circuit of the sending or transmitting part of a station equipment may be easily and rapidly opened and closed; as, a telegraph key.
13.
Any device for closing or opening an electric circuit, especially as part of a keyboard, as that used at a computer terminal or teletype terminal.
14.
A simplified version or analysis which accompanies something as a clue to its explanation, a book or table containing the solutions to problems, ciphers, allegories, or the like; or (Biol.) A table or synopsis of conspicuous distinguishing characters of members of a taxonomic group.
15.
(Computers) A word or other combination of symbols which serves as an index identifying and pointing to a particular record, file, or location which can be retrieved and displayed by a computer program; as, a database using multi-word keys. When the key is a word, it is also called a keyword.
Key bed. Same as Key seat.
Key bolt, a bolt which has a mortise near the end, and is secured by a cotter or wedge instead of a nut.
Key bugle. See Kent bugle.
Key of a position or Key of a country, (Mil.) See Key, 4.
Key seat (Mach.), a bed or groove to receive a key which prevents one part from turning on the other.
Key way, a channel for a key, in the hole of a piece which is keyed to a shaft; an internal key seat; called also key seat.
Key wrench (Mach.), an adjustable wrench in which the movable jaw is made fast by a key.
Power of the keys (Eccl.), the authority claimed by the ministry in some Christian churches to administer the discipline of the church, and to grant or withhold its privileges; so called from the declaration of Christ, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven."


Quay  n.  (Written also key)  A mole, bank, or wharf, formed toward the sea, or at the side of a harbor, river, or other navigable water, for convenience in loading and unloading vessels.


verb
Key  v. t.  (past & past part. keved; pres. part. keying)  
1.
To fasten or secure firmly; to fasten or tighten with keys or wedges.
2.
(Computers) To enter (text, data) using keys, especially those on a keyboard; to keyboard; as, to key the data in by hand.
3.
To adjust so as to be maximally effective in a particular situation; of actions, plans, or speech; as, to key one's campaign speech to each local audience.
4.
To furnish with a key or keys.
To key up.
(a)
(Arch.) To raise (the whole ring of an arch) off its centering, by driving in the keystone forcibly.
(b)
(Mus.) To raise the pitch of.
(c)
Hence, (fig.), to produce nervous tension in; as, the whole team was keyed up for the championship game.





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Key" Quotes from Famous Books



... keeping such a man as Mr Dutton in his power, partly because he knows that the last shilling would be parted with rather than the child. It is a very unfortunate business, and I often fear will terminate badly.' The loud but indistinct wrangling without ceased after awhile, and I heard a key turn stiffly in a lock. 'The usual conclusion of these scenes,' said Mrs Rivers. 'Another draft upon his strong-box will purchase Mr Dutton a respite as long as the money lasts.' I could hardly look at James Dutton when ...
— Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 440 - Volume 17, New Series, June 5, 1852 • Various
... but a few seconds to turn the key in the lock, and to slip the heavy bolts. Then he was safe from ...
— Chatterbox, 1905. • Various
... the excellence or even for the purity of the wine, that it is kept in these cellars, under the lock and key of the government; for the merchants are allowed to mix different vintages, according to their own pleasure, and to adulterate it as they like. Very little of the wine probably comes out as it goes in, or is exactly what it pretends to be. I went back to Mr. ———'s office, ...
— Passages From the English Notebooks, Complete • Nathaniel Hawthorne
... wanting to decide them, this eminently practical barrel would have turned the scale. A bargain was promptly struck, the month's rent was paid upon the nail, and about an hour later Finsbury brothers might have been observed returning to the blighted cottage, having along with them the key, which was the symbol of their tenancy, a spirit-lamp, with which they fondly told themselves they would be able to cook, a pork pie of suitable dimensions, and a quart of the worst whisky in Hampshire. Nor was this all they had effected; already (under the plea that they were landscape-painters) ...
— The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 7 (of 25) • Robert Louis Stevenson
... this. [He points to the door on the right] There I shall take up my position and watch you while you are playing the game in here. But when you are done, we'll change parts: I'll enter the cage and do tricks with the snake while you stick to the key-hole. Then we meet in the park to compare notes. But keep your back stiff. And if you feel yourself weakening, knock twice on the floor with ...
— Plays by August Strindberg, Second series • August Strindberg


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