ept 'woman noun (old-fashioned, usually humorous) a woman who is given
money and a home by a man who visits her regularly to have sex ( ,
kera tin /'keratin/ noun [U] (biology ft) a protein that forms hair, feathers, horns, hoofs, etc. ( £ „ 7), M>
kerb (6r£) (NAmE curb) /k3ib; NAmE k3:rb/ noun the edge of the raised
path at the side of a road, usually made of long pieces of stone ( ) kit; il^F;
3f 7- : The bus mounted the
kerb (= went onto the pavement/sidewalk) and hit a tree. J:
mmm-nn±0
'kerb-crawling noun [U] (6r£) the crime of driving slowly along a road
in order to find a prostitute ►'kerb-crawler noun
kerb-side (erf) {NAmE curb-side) /'k3:bsaid; NAmE 'k3:rb-/ noun [U] the side of the
street or path near the kerb
kerb-stone (erf) (A/Amf curb-stone) /'k3:bstaun; NAmE 'k3:rbstoun/ noun a block of stone or
concrete in a kerb/curb
ker chief /'k3:tjif; AMm£ 'k3:rtJTf/ noun (old-fashioned) a square piece of cloth
worn on the head or around the
neckAAft; AS ft
ker-fuf-fle /ka'fAfl; NAmE kar'f-/ noun [sing.] (erf, informal) unnecessary excitement
or activity ( A # H
MSL, H33 COMMOTION, FUSS
kernel /'k3:nl; A/Amf 'k3:rnl/ noun 1 the inner part of a nut or seed ( 2 the central, most
important part of an idea or a subject ( Jg *Jl st ft jH
(ft ) Wb,
ft7', EM
kero-sene (also kero-sine) /'kerasiin/ noun [u] a type of fuel oil
that is made from petroleum and that is used in the engines of planes
and for heat and light. In British English it is usually called paraffin when it is used for heat
and light. ^ : a kerosene lamp )&
«
kes trel /'kestrel/ noun a small bird of prey
(=
a bird that kills other creatures for food) of the falcon family
im ( )
KET /ket/ noun [U] a British test, set by the
( Key English Test,
S&S&jfefcSMfrS ) ; M
mm^ikvE
keta mine /'ki:tami:n/ (also informal ket /ki:t/) noun [U] a substance that is used as an anaesthetic, and also as a drug that is
taken illegally for pleasure iUgK, K fft ( )
ketch /ketJ/ noun a sailing boat with
two masts (= posts to support the
sails)
ketchup /'ketJap/ noun [U] a thick cold sauce
made from tomatoes, usually sold in bottles #7)0 it
ket tle /'ketl/ noun a container with a lid,
handle and a spout, used
for boiling water ( j&7}cM(ft ) 7JC®:
an electric kettle ft. ;Jc 0 (BrE) I’ll put the
kettle on (= start boiling some water) and make some
tea.
—picture o page R15 HBBI see different,
pot n.
kettle-drum /'ketldrAm/ noun a large metal drum with a round bottom and a thin plastic top that can be made
looser or tighter to produce different musical notes. A set of kettledrums is usually
called timpani, i; — picture o page R9
Kev-lar™ /'kevla:(r)/ noun [U] an artificial
substance used to give strength to tyres and other rubber
products mmz&i&zfm (m mimmmmuh ):
key Or* /krf noun, verb, adj.
■ noun
►
TOOL
FOR LOCK CM-
1
a
specially shaped piece of metal used for locking a door, starting a car, etc.
to insert/turn
the key in the lock $1A ft (ft #3 S o the car keys ^$^4oa bunch of keys • ft 0 the spare key to the
front door
1109 keyhole
0 Well have a duplicate
key cut
(= made). ffUL — picture o padlock
►
MOST IMPORTANT THING JISff (ft | 2 [usually sing.] ~ (to
sth) a thing that makes you
able to understand or achieve sth A f® ; H ft PS77S secret : The key to success is
preparation, (ft o The driver
of the car probably
holds the key to solving the crime, &
O (especially NAmE) The key is, how long can
the federal government control the inflation rate?
►
ON COMPUTER if % f)l 3 any of the buttons
that you press to operate a computer or typewriter
( tTftftJKft )
ft: Press
the return key to enter the information.
►
ON MUSICAL INSTRUMENT ft 4 any
of the wooden or
metal parts that you press
to play a piano and some other musical instruments ( 3$ # 7; fl (ft ) f®
—
picture o page R8
►
MUSIC if ft 5 a set of related
notes, based on a
particular note. Pieces of music
are usually written mainly using a particular key. : a sonata in the key of E flat major - — compare scale
n.{ 7)
►
ANSWERS ^ ^ 6 a set of answers to exercises or problems MIS: Check
your answers in the key at the back of the book,
►
ON MAP 7 an explanation of the
symbols used on a
map or plan ( mm
—
see also low-key ITOTl see lock n.
■
verb [VN] 1 ~ sth (in) | ~ sth (into sth) to put information
into a computer using a keyboard ftA; f® A ETTC1 enter : Key (in) your password, ft
# $1A
59
0 2 to deliberately damage a
car by scratching it
with a key ftfflbjtlJA ( fvA ) ECE19 key sb/sth to sth [usually passive] (especially NAmE) to make sb/sth suitable
or appropriate for a particular purpose A ( Aft ) HE] gear: The classes are keyed to
the needs of advanced
students.
adj. [usually before noun] most important; essential USr E (ft; ' ft E (ft; A ft (ft HEI critical, vital : the key
issue/factor/point A ft (ft M / O % ; E A 0 He was a key figure in
the campaign. 0
She played a key role in the dispute.
$£ fi o
O ‘Caution’
is the key word in this situ
ation. /Ejlfclf f&ZT, caution A AHi^o 0 Good
communication is key to our success.
Hc.
0 His contribution
could be key. AitHft
■=>
note at
key-board /’ki:bo:d;
NAmE -boird/ noun, verb
mnoun 1 the set of keys for
operating a computer or typewriter ( tJ % tH M fl ^ tl ® A — picture o
page R5 2 the set of black and white keys on a piano or other
musical instrument ( #9 ^ jfe A ^ ) #
H
, it
—
picture o piano 3 an electronic
musical instrument that has keys like a piano and can be made to play in
different styles or to sound like different instruments Atl
—
compare synthesizer
«
verb [VN, V] to type
information into a computer If] It iiA; # ( fsE ) HAit► key-board-ing noun [U]
key board er /'ki:bo:d0(r); NAmE -boird-/ noun a person whose job is
to type data into a computer ft H #
A; it«AM
key-board-ist /'ki:bo:dist; NAmE -boird-/ noun a person who plays an
electronic musical instrument with a keyboard f®& ( JfiS ) ¥•
.keyed
‘up adj. [not before noun] nervous and excited,
especially before an important event ( X
ft) It E A #
m )
'key grip noun the person in charge
of the camera equipment for a film/movie ( ft
)
MWA
key-hole /'ki:haul; NAmE -houl/ noun the hole in a lock
that you put a key in Hg; IfjibJL