Part 152

3. The harvest-home.

Kern baby. A doll or image decorated with corn (grain) flowers, etc., carried in the festivals of a kern, or harvest- home. Called also harvest queen.

Ker"seys, n. pl. Varieties of kersey; also, trousers made of kersey.

Ke"ta (?), n. [Perh. of Amer. Indian origin.] (Zoöl.) A small salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) of inferior value, which in the autumn runs up all the larger rivers between San Francisco and Kamchatka.

Key, n. (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; any device for closing or opening an electric circuit.

Key, n. 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 a table or synopsis of conspicuous distinguishing characters of members of a taxonomic group.

Key fruit. (Bot.) A samara.

Key"stone` State. Pennsylvania; -- a nickname alluding to its having been the central one of the 13 original United States.

Kha"ki (kä"k), a. [Hind. khk, lit., dusty, dust-colored, fr. Per. khk dust.] Of a dull brownish yellow, or drab color; -- applied to cloth, originally to a stout brownish cotton cloth, used in making uniforms in the Anglo-Indian army. In the United States service the summer uniform of cotton is officially designated khaki; the winter uniform of wool, olive drab.

Kha"ki, n. Any kind of khaki cloth; hence, a uniform of khaki or, rarely, a soldier clad in khaki. In the United States and British armies khaki or cloth of a very similar color is almost exclusively used for service in the field.

Khond (?), n. A Dravidian of a group of tribes of Orissa, India, a section of whom were formerly noted for their cruel human sacrifices to the earth goddess, murder of female infants, and marriage by capture.

Ki"bosh (?), n. 1. Nonsense; stuff; also, fashion; style. [Slang]

2. Portland cement when thrown or blown into the recesses of carved stonework to intensify the shadows.

To put the kibosh on, to do for; to dispose of. [Slang]

Kid, n. Among pugilists, thieves, etc., a youthful expert; -- chiefly used attributively; as, kid Jones.

Kil"erg` (?), n. [Kilo- + erg.] (Physics) A unit of work equal to one thousand ergs.

Kil*ken"ny cats (?). Two cats fabled, in an Irish story, to have fought till nothing was left but their tails. It is probably a parable of a local contest between Kilkenny and Irishtown, which impoverished both towns.

Kill (?), n. 1. The act of killing.

"There is none like to me!" says the cub in the pride of his earliest kill.

Kipling.

2. An animal killed in the hunt, as by a beast of prey.

If ye plunder his kill from a weaker, devour not all in thy pride.

Kipling.

Kil"o- (?). [F. kilo-. See Kilogram.] A combining form used to signify thousand in forming the names of units of measurement; as, kilogram, kilometer, kilowatt, etc.

Kil"o*volt` (?), n. [Kilo- + volt.] (Elec.) A unit of electromotive force equal to one thousand volts.

Kil"o*watt` hour. (Elec.) A unit of work or energy equal to that done by one kilowatt acting for one hour; -- approx. = 1.34 horse-power hour.

Ki*mo"no (?), n.; pl. - nos (#). [Jap.] 1. A kind of loose robe or gown tied with a sash, worn as an outer garment by Japanese men and women.

2. A similar gown worn as a dressing gown by women of Western nations.