Consonants and Vowels...

Main Entry:

Pronunciation:
\ˈkē\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English, from Old English cǣg; akin to OldFrisian kēi key
Date:
before 12th century

1 a: a usually metal instrument by which the bolt of a lock is turned
b: any of various devices having the form or function of such a key

2 a: a means of gaining or preventing entrance, possession, or control
b: an instrumental or deciding factor

3 a: something that gives an explanation or identification or provides a solution
b: a list of words or phrases giving an explanation of symbols or abbreviations
c: an aid to interpretation or identification : clue
d: an arrangement of the salient characters of a group of plants or animals or of taxa designed to facilitate identification e: a map legend

4 a (1): cotter pin (2): cotter
b: a keystone in an arch
c: a small piece of wood or metal used as a wedge or for preventing motion between parts

5 a: one of the levers of a keyboard musical instrument that actuates the mechanism and produces the tones
b: a lever that controls a vent in the side of a woodwind instrument or a valve in a brass instrument
c: a part to be depressed by a finger that serves as one unit of a keyboard

6: samara

7: a system of tones and harmonies generated from a hierarchical scale of seven tones based on a tonic

8 a: characteristic style or tone
b: the tone or pitch of a voice
c: the predominant tone of a photograph with respect to its lightness or darkness

9: a decoration or charm resembling a key

10: a small switch for opening or closing an electric circuit

11: the set of instructions governing the encipherment and decipherment of messages

12: a free-throw area in basketball