Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter K - Page 1
K () The eleventh letter of the English alphabet, is nonvocal consonant. The form and sound of the letter K are from the Latin, which used the letter but little except in the early period of the language. It came into the Latin from the Greek, which received it from a Phoenician source, the ultimate origin probably being Egyptian. Etymologically K is most nearly related to c, g, h (which see).
Note: In many words of one syllable k is used after c, as in crack, check, deck, being necessary to exhibit a correct pronunciation in the derivatives, cracked, checked, decked, cracking; since without it, c, before the vowels e and i, would be sounded like s. Formerly, k was added to c in certain words of Latin origin, as in musick, publick, republick; but now it is omitted.
Note: See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 240, 178, 179, 185.
K (a.) Denoting a quantity consisting of 1,000 items or units [syn: thousand, one thousand, 1000, m, k].
K (n.) The basic unit of thermodynamic temperature adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites [syn: kelvin, K].
K (n.) A light soft silver-white metallic element of the alkali metal group; oxidizes rapidly in air and reacts violently with water; is abundant in nature in combined forms occurring in sea water and in carnallite and kainite and sylvite [syn: potassium, K, atomic number 19].
K (n.) The cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100 [syn: thousand, one thousand, 1000, M, K, chiliad, G, grand, thou, yard].
K (n.) A unit of information equal to 1000 bytes [syn: kilobyte, K, KB, kB].
K (n.) A unit of information equal to 1024 bytes [syn: kilobyte, kibibyte, K, KB, kB, KiB].
K (n.) The 11th letter of the Roman alphabet [syn: K, k].
K (n.) Street names for ketamine [syn: K, jet, super acid, special K, honey oil, green, cat valium, super C].
K, (n.) [from kilo-] A kilobyte. Used both as a spoken word and a written suffix (like meg and gig for megabyte and gigabyte). See quantifiers.
K, () kilo-, a kilobyte. Used both as a spoken word and a written suffix, like meg and gig for megabyte and gigabyte.
See prefix.
[{Jargon File]
(1995-09-29)
K, () is a consonant that we get from the Greeks, but it can be traced away back beyond them to the Cerathians, a small commercial nation inhabiting the peninsula of Smero. In their tongue it was called _Klatch_, which means "destroyed." The form of the letter was originally precisely that of our H, but the erudite Dr. Snedeker explains that it was altered to its present shape to commemorate the destruction of the great temple of Jarute by an earthquake, _circa_ 730 B.C. This building was famous for the two lofty columns of its portico, one of which was broken in half by the catastrophe, the other remaining intact. As the earlier form of the letter is supposed to have been suggested by these pillars, so, it is thought by the great antiquary, its later was adopted as a simple and natural -- not to say touching -- means of keeping the calamity ever in the national memory.
It is not known if the name of the letter was altered as an additional mnemonic, or if the name was always _Klatch_ and the destruction one of nature's puns. As each theory seems probable enough, I see no objection to believing both -- and Dr. Snedeker arrayed himself on that side of the question.
K-Bar Ranch, TX -- U.S. Census Designated Place in Texas
Population (2000): 350
Housing Units (2000): 116
Land area (2000): 3.410505 sq. miles (8.833167 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 3.410505 sq. miles (8.833167 sq. km)
FIPS code: 38518
Located within: Texas (TX), FIPS 48
Location: 27.996465 N, 97.922898 W
ZIP Codes (1990):
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
K-Bar Ranch, TX
K-Bar Ranch
K, TX
K
Kaama (n.) (Zool.) The hartbeest.
Kabala (n.) See Cabala.
Kabala (n.) An esoteric or occult matter resembling the Kabbalah that is traditionally secret [syn: cabala, cabbala, cabbalah, kabala, kabbala, kabbalah, qabala, qabalah].
Kabala (n.) An esoteric theosophy of rabbinical origin based on the Hebrew scriptures and developed between the 7th and 18th centuries [syn: Kabbalah, Kabbala, Kabala, Cabbalah, Cabbala, Cabala, Qabbalah, Qabbala].
Kabassou (n.) (Zool.) See Cabassou.
Compare: Cabassou
Cabassou (n.) (Zool.) 阿根廷裸尾犰狳 A species of armadillo of the genus Xenurus ({Xenurus unicinctus and Xenurus hispidus); the tatouay. [Written also kabassou.]
Kabob (n. & v. t.) See Cabob, n. & v. t.
Compare: Cabob
Cabob (v. t.) To roast, as a cabob. -- Sir. T. Herbert.
Cabob (n.) （印度）烤肉串 A small piece of mutton or other meat roasted on a skewer; -- so called in Turkey and Persia. [Also spelled kebab, kebob, or kabab.].
Cabob (n.) A leg of mutton roasted, stuffed with white herrings and sweet herbs. -- Wright.
Shish cabob See Shish kebob.
Kabob (n.) 烤肉 Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables [syn: kabob, kebab, shish kebab].
Kabook (n.) (Min.) A clay ironstone found in Ceylon.
Kabyle (n.) (Ethnol.) A Berber, as in Algiers or Tunis. See Berber.
Kadder (n.) (Zool.) The jackdaw. Kadi
Kadi (n.) Alt. of Kadiaster.
Kadiaster (n.) A Turkish judge. See Cadi.
Kafal (n.) (Bot.) The Arabian name of two trees of the genus Balsamodendron, which yield a gum resin and a red aromatic wood. Kaffir
Kaffir (n.) Alt. of Kafir.
Kafir (n.) (Ethnol.) One of a race which, with the Hottentots and Bushmen, inhabit South Africa. They inhabit the country north of Cape Colony, the name being now specifically applied to the tribes living between Cape Colony and Natal; but the Zulus of Natal are true Kaffirs.
Kafir (n.) (Ethnol.) One of a race inhabiting Kafiristan in Central Asia. [Spelt also Caffre.]
Kafir (n.) Any Black African; -- a disparaging and offensive term used by white South Africans. [South Africa]
Syn: kaffir, caffer, caffre.
Kaffir corn (Bot.), A Cape Colony name for Indian millet.
Kaffir (n.) Important for human and animal food; growth habit and stem form similar to Indian corn but having sawtooth-edged leaves [syn: great millet, kaffir, kafir corn, kaffir corn, Sorghum bicolor].
Kaffir (n.) An offensive and insulting term for any Black African [syn: kaffir, kafir, caffer, caffre].
Kaffle (n.) See Coffle.
Kafilah (n.) See Cafila.
Kafkaesque (prop. a.) （奧地利小說家）卡夫卡作品風格的；恐怖怪誕的 Frightening, threating, and bewildering in a vague and unexplicable way; -- of situations or regulations. Often used to describe illogical bureaucratic entanglements with no reasonable solution.
Kafkaesque (a.) Relating to or in the manner of Franz Kafka or his writings.
Kafkaesque (a.) Characterized by surreal distortion and a sense of impending danger; "the kafkaesque terror of the endless interrogations."
Kaftan (n & v.) See Caftan.
Kaftan (n.) A woman's dress style that imitates the caftan cloaks worn by men in the Near East [syn: caftan, kaftan].
Kaftan (n.) A (cotton or silk) cloak with full sleeves and sash reaching down to the ankles; worn by men in the Levant [syn: caftan, kaftan].
Kage (n.) A chantry chapel inclosed with lattice or screen work.
Kagu (n.) A singular, crested, grallatorial bird (Rhinochetos jubatus), native of New Caledonia. It is gray above, paler beneath, and the feathers of the wings and tail are handsomely barred with brown, black, and gray. It is allied to the sun bittern.
Kaguan (n.) The colugo.
Kahani (n.) A kind of notary public, or attorney, in the Levant.
Kahau (n.) A long-nosed monkey (Semnopithecus nasalis), native of Borneo. The general color of the body is bright chestnut, with the under parts, shoulders, and sides of the head, golden yellow, and the top of the head and upper part of the back brown. Called also proboscis monkey.
Kail (n.) A kind of headless cabbage. Same as Kale, 1.
Kail (n.) Any cabbage, greens, or vegetables.
Kail (n.) A broth made with kail or other vegetables; hence, any broth; also, a dinner.
Kaimacam (n.) Same as Caimacam.
Kain (n.) Poultry, etc., required by the lease to be paid in kind by a tenant to his landlord.
Kainit (n.) Salts of potassium used in the manufacture of fertilizers.
Kainite (n.) A compound salt consisting chiefly of potassium chloride and magnesium sulphate, occurring at the Stassfurt salt mines in Prussian Saxony.
Kainozoic (a.) See Cenozoic.
Kaique (n.) See Caique.
Kairine (n.) A pale buff or white crystalline alkaloid derived from quinoline, and used as an antipyretic in medicine.
Kairoline (n.) An organic base obtained from quinoline. It is used as a febrifuge, and resembles kairine.
Kaiser (n.) The ancient title of emperors of Germany assumed by King William of Prussia when crowned sovereign of the new German empire in 1871.
Kaka (n.) A New Zealand parrot of the genus Nestor, especially the brown parrot (Nestor meridionalis).
Kakapo (n.) A singular nocturnal parrot (Strigops habroptilus), native of New Zealand. It lives in holes during the day, but is active at night. It resembles an owl in its colors and general appearance. It has large wings, but can fly only a short distance. Called also owl parrot, night parrot, and night kaka.
Kakaralli (n.) A kind of wood common in Demerara, durable in salt water, because not subject to the depredations of the sea worm and barnacle.
Kakistocracy (n.) Government by the worst men.
Kakoxene (n.) See Cacoxene.
Kalan (n.) The sea otter.
Kalasie (n.) A long-tailed monkey of Borneo (Semnopithecus rubicundus). It has a tuft of long hair on the head.
Kale (n.) A variety of cabbage in which the leaves do not form a head, being nearly the original or wild form of the species.
Kale (n.) See Kail, 2.
Kaleege (n.) One of several species of large, crested, Asiatic pheasants, belonging to the genus Euplocamus, and allied to the firebacks.
Kaleidophon (n.) Alt. of Kaleidophone.
Kaleidophone (n.) (Physics.) 發音體振動顯像儀；示振器 An instrument invented by Professor Wheatstone, consisting of a reflecting knob at the end of a vibrating rod or thin plate, for making visible, in the motion of a point of light reflected from the knob, the paths or curves corresponding with the musical notes produced by the vibrations.
Kaleidoscope (n.) An object-oriented language which mixes imperative programming and constraint-oriented features. Kaleidoscope was written by Freeman-Benson of the {University of Washington}, Universite de Nantes, 1989; {University of Victoria}, 1992. It is similar to Siri and vaguely related to Prose.
Versions: Kaleidoscope '90 and Kaleidoscope '91.
["Kaleidoscope: Mixing Objects, Constraints and Imperative Programming", B.N. Freeman-Benson, SIGPLAN Notices 25(10):77-88 (OOPSLA/ECOOP '90) (Oct 1990)].
["Constraint Imperative Programming", B.N. Freeman-Benson, Ph.D. Thesis, TR 91-07-02, U Wash (1991)].
["Constraint Imperative Programming", Freeman-Benson et al, IEEE Conf on Comp Lang, Apr 1992]. (1994-11-09)
Kaleidoscope (n.) 萬花筒；（事物等的）千變萬化 An instrument invented by Sir David Brewster, which contains loose fragments of colored glass, etc., and reflecting surfaces so arranged that changes of position exhibit its contents in an endless variety of beautiful colors and symmetrical forms. It has been much employed in arts of design.
Shifting like the fragments of colored glass in the kaleidoscope. -- G. W. Cable. Kaleidoscopic
Kaleidoscope (n.) A complex pattern of constantly changing colors and shapes.
Kaleidoscope (n.) An optical toy in a tube; it produces symmetrical patterns as bits of colored glass are reflected by mirrors.
Kaleidoscopic (a.) Alt. of Kaleidoscopical.
Kaleidoscopical (a.) 萬花筒似的；千變萬化的 Of, pertaining to, or formed by, a kaleidoscope; variegated.
Kaleidoscopic (a.) Continually shifting or rapidly changing [syn: {kaleidoscopic}, {kaleidoscopical}].
Kalendar (n.) See Calendar.
Kalendarial (a.) See Calendarial.
Kalender (n.) See 3d Calender.
Kalends (n.) Same as Calends.
Kali (n.) The last and worst of the four ages of the world; -- considered to have begun B. C. 3102, and to last 432,000 years.
Kali (n.) The black, destroying goddess; -- called also Doorga, Anna Purna.
Kali (n.) The glasswort (Salsola Kali).
Kalif (n.) See Caliph.
Kaliform (a.) Formed like kali, or glasswort.
Kaligenous (a.) Forming alkalies with oxygen, as some metals.
Kalium (n.) Potassium; -- so called by the German chemists.
Kalki (n.) The name of Vishnu in his tenth and last avatar.
Kalmia (n.) A genus of North American shrubs with poisonous evergreen foliage and corymbs of showy flowers. Called also mountain laurel, ivy bush, lamb kill, calico bush, etc.
Kalmuck (n.) pl. (Ethnol.) See Calmucks.
Kalmuck (n.) A kind of shaggy cloth, resembling bearskin.
Kalmuck (n.) A coarse, dyed, cotton cloth, made in Prussia.
Kalong (n.) (Zool.) A fruit bat, esp. the Indian edible fruit bat ({Pteropus edulis).
Kaloyer (n.) See Caloyer.
Kalpa (n.) [Skr.] (Hind. Myth.) One of the Brahmanic eons, a period of 4,320,000,000 years. At the end of each Kalpa the world is annihilated.
Kalsomine (n. & v. t.) Same as Calcimine.
Compare: Calcimine
Calcimine (n.) A white or colored wash for the ceiling or other plastering of a room, consisting of a mixture of clear glue, Paris white or zinc white, and water. [Also spelt kalsomine.]
Kam (n.) Crooked; awry. [Obs.] "This is clean kam." -- Shak.
Kama (n.) The Hindu Cupid. He is represented as a beautiful youth, with a bow of sugar cane or flowers.
Kama (n.) Desire; animal passion;
Note: supposed to create the
Ka"ma ru"pa, A kind of simulacrum or astral likeness of a man which exists after his death in an invisible plane of being, called
Ka"ma lo"ca, Until the impulses which created it are exhausted and it finally fades away.
Kama (n.) Hindu god of love and erotic desire; opposite of Mara.
Kamala (n.) (Bot.) The red dusty hairs of the capsules of an East Indian tree ({Mallotus Philippinensis) used for dyeing silk. It is violently emetic, and is used in the treatment of tapeworm. [Written also kameela.]
Kame (n.) A low ridge. [Scot.] See Eschar.
Kami (n. pl.) A title given to the celestial gods of the first mythical dynasty of Japan and extended to the demigods of the second dynasty, and then to the long line of spiritual princes still represented by the mikado.
Kami (n.) One the Shinto deities (including mythological beings, spirits of distinguished men, forces of nature).
Kamichi (n.) (Zool.) A curious South American bird ({Anhima or Palamedea cornuta), often domesticated by the natives and kept with poultry, which it defends against birds of prey. It has a long, slender, hornlike ornament on its head, and two sharp spurs on each wing. Although its beak, feet, and legs resemble those of gallinaceous birds, it is related in anatomical characters to the ducks and geese ({Anseres). Called also horned screamer. The name is sometimes applied also to the chaja. See Chaja, and Screamer.
Kamptulicon (n.) A kind of elastic floor cloth, made of India rubber, gutta-percha, linseed oil, and powdered cork.
Kampylite (n.) (Min.) A variety of mimetite or arseniate of lead in hexagonal prisms of a fine orange yellow. [Written also campylite.] Kamsin
Khamsin (n.) Same as Kamsin.
Khamsin (n.) A hot southwesterly wind in Egypt, coming from the Sahara. [Written also Khamseen.]
Khamsin (n.) An oppressively hot southerly wind from the Sahara that blows across Egypt in the spring.
Kamtschadales (n. pl.) (Ethnol.) An aboriginal tribe inhabiting the southern part of the Kamchatka peninsula; called also Kamchadals and Itelmen.
Compare: Khan
Khan (n.) [Also kan, kaun.] A king; a prince; a chief; a governor; -- so called among the Tartars, Turks, and Persians, and in countries now or formerly governed by them.
Khan (n.) An Eastern inn or caravansary. [Written also kawn.]
Compare: Cham
Cham (n.) [See Khan.] The sovereign prince of Tartary; -- now usually written khan. -- Shak.
Khan (n.) A title given to rulers or other important people in Asian countries.
Khan (n.) An inn in some eastern countries with a large courtyard that provides accommodation for caravans [syn: caravansary, caravanserai, khan, caravan inn].
Kan (v. t.) To know; to ken. [Obs.] See Ken.
Kan (n.) See Khan. Kanacka
KAN, () KriminalAktenNachweis (INPOL)
Kanacka (n.) Alt. of Kanaka.
Kanaka (n.) A native of the Sandwich Islands.
Kanchil (n.) (Zool.) A small chevrotain of the genus Tragulus, esp. Tragulus pygm[ae]us, or Tragulus kanchil, inhabiting Java, Sumatra, and adjacent islands; a deerlet. It is noted for its agility and cunning.
Kanchil (n.) Small chevrotain of southeastern Asia [syn: kanchil, Tragulus kanchil].
Kand (n.) (Mining) Fluor spar; -- so called by Cornish miners.
Kangaroo (n.) (Zool.) 【動】袋鼠 [C] Any one of numerous species of jumping marsupials of the family Macropodidae. They inhabit Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands, They have long and strong hind legs and a large tail, while the fore legs are comparatively short and feeble. The giant kangaroo ({Macropus major) is the largest species, sometimes becoming twelve or fourteen feet in total length. The tree kangaroos, belonging to the genus Dendrolagus, live in trees; the rock kangaroos, of the genus Petrogale, inhabit rocky situations; and the brush kangaroos, of the genus Halmaturus, inhabit wooded districts. See Wallaby.
Kangaroo apple (Bot.), The edible fruit of the Tasmanian plant Solanum aviculare.
Kangaroo grass (Bot.), A perennial Australian forage grass ({Anthistiria australis).
Kangaroo hare (Zool.), The jerboa kangaroo. See under Jerboa.
Kangaroo mouse. (Zool.) See Jumping mouse, under Jumping.
Kangaroo (n.) Any of several
herbivorous leaping marsupials of Australia and New Guinea having large
powerful hind legs and a long thick tail.
Kansas (prop. n.) A state of the
central United States, bordering the Mississippi River to the west.
Kansas (n. pl.) (Ethnol.) A tribe of Indians allied to the Winnebagoes and Osages. They formerly inhabited the region which is now the State of Kansas, but were removed to the Indian Territory.
Kansas (n.) A state in midwestern United States [syn: Kansas, Sunflower State, KS].
Kansas (n.) A member of the Siouan people of the Kansas river valley in Kansas [syn: Kansa, Kansas].
Kansas (n.) A river in northeastern Kansas; flows eastward to become a tributary of the Missouri River [syn: Kansas, Kansas River, Kaw River].
Kansas (n.) The Dhegiha dialect spoken by the Kansa [syn: Kansa, Kansas].
Kansas, AL -- U.S. town in Alabama
Population (2000): 260
Housing Units (2000): 128
Land area (2000): 0.999915 sq. miles (2.589767 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.999915 sq. miles (2.589767 sq. km)
FIPS code: 39280
Located within: Alabama (AL), FIPS 01
Location: 33.903168 N, 87.556716 W
ZIP Codes (1990):
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Kansas, AL
Kansas
Kansas, IL -- U.S. village in Illinois
Population (2000): 842
Housing Units (2000): 378
Land area (2000): 1.028196 sq. miles (2.663016 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 1.028196 sq. miles (2.663016 sq. km)
FIPS code: 38986
Located within: Illinois (IL), FIPS 17
Location: 39.553627 N, 87.938392 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 61933
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Kansas, IL
Kansas
Kansas, OK -- U.S. town in Oklahoma
Population (2000): 685
Housing Units (2000): 260
Land area (2000): 1.496624 sq. miles (3.876239 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 1.496624 sq. miles (3.876239 sq. km)
FIPS code: 38600
Located within: Oklahoma (OK), FIPS 40
Location: 36.202423 N, 94.795122 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 74347
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Kansas, OK
Kansas
Kantian (a.) Of or pertaining to Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher; conformed or relating to any or all of the philosophical doctrines of Immanuel Kant.
Kantian (n.) A follower of Kant; a Kantist. Kantianism
Kantian (a.) Of or relating to Immanuel Kant or his philosophy.
Kantianism (n.) Alt. of Kantism.
Kantism (n.) The doctrine or theory of Kant; the Kantian philosophy.
Kantist (n.) A disciple or follower of Kant.
Kanttry (n.) Same as Cantred. Kaolin
Kaolin (n.) Alt. of Kaoline.
Kaoline (n.) (Min.) 高嶺土；【化】含水矽酸鋁 A very pure white clay, ordinarily in the form of an impalpable powder, and used to form the paste of porcelain; China clay; porcelain clay. It is chiefly derived from the decomposition of common feldspar.
Note: The name is now applied to all porcelain clays which endure the fire without discoloration.
Kaoline (n.) A fine usually white clay formed by the weathering of aluminous minerals (as feldspar); used in ceramics and as an absorbent and as a filler (e.g., in paper) [syn: {china clay}, {china stone}, {kaolin}, {kaoline}, {porcelain clay}, {terra alba}].
Kaolinization (n.) 高嶺土化 [作用] The process by which feldspar is changed into kaolin.
Kaolinize (v. t.) 使高嶺土化 To convert into kaolin.
Kapelle (n.) [G.] (Mus.) (德語) 小型樂隊；小教堂；禮拜堂；祈禱室 A chapel; hence, the choir or orchestra of a prince's chapel; now, a musical establishment, usually orchestral. -- Grove.
Kapellmeister (n.) [G.] (Mus.)【德】合唱團或管弦樂隊的指揮 See {Capellmeister}.
Compare: Capellmeister
Capellmeister (n.) The musical director in a royal or ducal chapel; a choir-master. [Written also {kapellmeister}.]
Compare: Choirmaster
Choirmaster (n.) 唱詩班指揮 The conductor of a choir.
Choirmaster (n.) The musical director of a choir.
Syn: precentor, cantor.
Choirmaster (n.) The musical director of a choir [syn: choirmaster, precentor, cantor].