kent 
2. See the extract. 
A band of fat ... is left round the neck [of the whale], 
culled (he keiit, to which hooks rind ropes are attached for 
the mirnoHe of shifting round the carcass. 
tfre, Wet., III. 451. 
kent 1 (kent), c. [<<?',.] I. trans. I. To 
propel, as a boat, by pushing with a kent or long 
pole against the bottom of a river; punt. 
[Scotch.] 2. To tilt or turn over (a whale) by 
means of a hook and tackle inserted into the 
kent. 
II. inirtnm. To propel a boat by pushing it 
with a kent. 
"They will row very slow," said the page, " or*en< where 
depth penults, to avoid noise." Scott, Abbot, xxxv. 
kent'-' (koiit). A dialectal preterit of ken 1 . 
[Scotch.] 
kentalt, An obsolete form of quintal. 
1 glue this Jewell to thee, richly worth 
A kentall, or an hnndreth-waignt of gold. 
Chapman, Blind Beggar of Alexandria (Works, 1873, L 5). 
Kent bugle (keut bu'gl). [So called after the 
Duke of Kent.] Same as kei/-bugle. 
Kentia (ken'ti-fi,), . [NL. (Blume. 1836), 
named after Miss Kent, author of "Sylvan 
Sketches," London, 1825.] A genus of fea- 
ther-palms belonging to the tribe Arecece, for- 
merly including a number of the finest palms 
of that tribe which have latterly been referred 
to various other genera, as Areca, Hydriastele, 
Nengella, Hedyscepe, Khopalostylis, CKnostif/ntu, 
and Ilowen, It is now restricted to three species of New 
Guinea and the Moluccas, characterized by pointed leaf- 
sr^munts and sharply four-angled branches of the spadix. 
K. Moluccana attains a height of 90 feet, and Is compara- 
tively hardy. 
Kentish (ken ' tish), a. [< ME. Kentish, < AS. 
Uentisc, s Cent, Ccent (L. Cantium), Kent.] Of 
or pertaining to Kent, the southeasternmost 
county of England. 
The Citizens and East Kentish men coming to compo- 
sition with them [the Danes) for three thousand pound, 
they departed thence to the lie of Wight. 
Milton, Hist. Eng., vL 
Kentish balsam, the herb Mercurialis perennit, dog's- 
mercury, whose leaves resemble those of the garden-bal- 
sam. [Eng. 1 Kentish crow, the hooded crow, Corma 
comix. Kentish flre. (a) The continuous cheering com- 
mon at the Protestant meetings held in Kent in 1828 and 
1829, with the view of preventing the passing of the Cath- 
olic Relief Bill. (b) The shouting practised by Orangemen 
at political meetings, in derision of Roman Catholics. 
[Eng. ] Kentish glory, a beautiful moth, Endramit ver- 
sieolora, of an orange-brown color with black and white 
markings, expanding about 21 inches : the only British 
representative of the group to which it pertains. The 
larva is very pale green, and is found feeding on birch 
late in the summer ; the moth appears In April. Kent- 
ish plover. See plover. Kentish rag, in yeol., a dark- 
colored, tough, highly fossiliferous, arenaceous limestone, 
belonging to the Lower Greensand. It occurs at Hythe 
and other places in Kent, England,and from its durabil- 
ity is much valued for building. Kentish tern. Sterna, 
cantiaca. See tern. 
kentlet (ken'tl), . An obsolete form of quin- 
tal. 
kentledge (kent'lej), n. [Appar. < *lcent, var. 
of cant 1 (see kent 1 ), + ledge(s, thing laid down).] 
Naut., pig-iron laid in the hold of a ship for bal- 
last. Also kinttedge. 
kentrolite (keu'tro-lit), . [< Gr. xivrpov, point, 
center, + A/fof , stone.] A rare silicate of lead 
and manganese occurring in southern Chili in 
acutely terminated crystals, also in sheaf-like 
aggregates of a reddish-brown color. 
Kentuckian (ken-tuk'i-an), a. and n. [< Ken- 
tucky (see def.) + -an.'] " I. a. Of or pertaining 
to Kentucky, one of the southern United States, 
bordering on the Ohio. 
II. it. A native or an inhabitant of Kentucky. 
Kentucky blue-grass. See Hue-grass. 
Kentucky warbler. See warbler. 
Keokuk limestone. See limestone. 
keora-pil (ke-6'rii-oil), . [E. Ind.] A volatile 
oil derived from the male flowers of the fragrant 
screw-pine, Pandanus odoratissimug. Also ket- 
gee-oil. 
keout (ke-ouf or kyout), . [Perhaps imita- 
tive.] A'mongrelcur. HalliweU. [Pro v. Eng.] 
kep (kep), v. t. [Sc., < ME. keppen, a var. of 
kippen, E. kip 1 , partly confused with kepen, E. 
keep: see kip 1 and keep.'] 1. To meet, either in. 
a hostile or a friendly way, or accidentally. 
His bataillls he arayit then ; 
And stud arayit in bataill, 
To kep them gif they wald assaile. 
Barbour MS., xlv. 158, 197. (Jamieson.) 
2. To catch, as something in the act of passing 
through the air, falling, or dropping; intercept. 
But yele come to my bower, Willie, 
Just as the sun goes down ; 
And kep me in your arms twa, 
And l:itna me fa 1 down. 
Birth o/llMn Hood (Child's Ballads, V. 171). 
3276 
Mourn, spring, thou darling of the year ! 
Ilk cowslip cup shall kep a tear. 
Burns, Elegy on Capt. Matthew Henderson. 
kepet, '. and . A Middle English form of /."/' 
kephir (kef'er), n. [Caucasian.] A kind of 
fermented milk in use among the inhabitants 
of the northern Caucasus, and corresponding 
as an article of diet and medicine to kumiss in 
the southeastern steppes of Russia. Nature, 
XXX. 216. 
kepi (kep'i), n. [F. kepi; origin unknown.] A 
kind of cap first worn by French troops in Alge- 
ria, and since much worn by other French troops 
and in other countries, as well as in public 
schools and institutions, etc. It fits close to the 
head, and has a flat circular top, inclined toward the front, 
with a flat horizontal vizor. Its different uses are marked 
by variations of style and ornamentation. 
Keplerian (kep-le'ri-an), . [< Kepler (see 
def.) + -tan.'} Of or pertaining to Johann 
Kepler, the German astronomer (1571-1630) ; 
propounded by Kepler: as, Keplerian doctrines ; 
Keplerian laws. Keplerian function. See function. 
Kepler's laws. See law 1 . 
Kepler's problem. See problem. 
keps (keps), n. A variant of keeps. See keeps 
and cage-shuts. 
kept (kept). Preterit and past participle of 
keep. 
kert, " A Middle English form of cor 2 . 
keramic, a. See ceramic. 
keramics, . See ceramics. 
keramidium (ker-a-mid'i-um), n. See cera- 
midium. 
Keramosphaerinae (ker"a-mo-sfe-ri'ne), n. pi. 
[NL., < Keramosphdera, the typical genus, + 
-true.} A subfamily of Miliolida;, having the 
test spherical and composed of chamberlets ar- 
ranged in concentric layers. Also Keramospha>- 
',, as a family of an order Miliolidea. 
kerargyrite (ke-rar'ji-rit), n. See cerargyrite. 
kerasme (ker'a-sin), a. See cerasine. 
kerat-, kerato-. Same as cerat-, cerato-, with 
retention of the Greek k instead of the usual 
and regular change to Latin c. 
keratalgia (ker-a-tal'ji-a), n. [NL., < Gr. nepaf 
(KEpar-), horn, + dAyof, pain.] In pathol., pain 
in the cornea. 
keratoglobus (ker"a-to-glo'bus), n. [< Gr. nepaf 
(RE/MI--), a horn, + L. globus, ball.] In pathol., 
same as biiphthalmos. 
keratOSCOpy (ker-a-tos'ko-pi), . [< Gr. ntpas 
(nepar-), horn, + anoxia, < anmelv, view.] In 
surg., inspection of the cornea. 
keratOSis (ker-a-to'sis), . [< Gr. xipas (Kipar-), 
horn, + -osis.] In pathol., disease of the outer 
layers of the epidermis. 
kefatto, karatto (ke-, ka-rat'o), n. [W. Ind.] 
The West Indian Agave Keratto (which see, un- 
der Agave). 
Keraudrenia (ker-ft-dre'ni-a), . [NL. (J. 
Gay, 1821), named after Dr. Kefaudren, surgeon 
in the French navy, and naturalist.] A genus 
of polypetalous shrubs of the natural order 
Sterculiacea. type of the old tribe Keraudreniea', 
now placed in the tribe Lasiopetalece, but differ- 
ing from Lasiopetalum, the type of that tribe, 
by having the anther-cells dehisce longitudi- 
nally instead of opening by pores at the apex, 
and from other genera by its enlarged colored 
calyx and kidney-shaped seeds. The genus em- 
braces 7 species, 6 of which are natives of Australia and 
one of Madagascar. These plants have the general aspect 
of Lasiopetalum. 
Keraudrenieae (ke-ra-dre-ni'e-e), n. pi. [NL. 
(Steetz. 1846), < Keraudrenia' + -ece.] A sub- 
tribe of the Lasiopetalece, formerly included in 
the order Malvacea;, based on the genus Kerau- 
drenia. 
keraulophon (ke-ra'lo-fon), n. [NL., < Gr. id- 
pas, a horn.-!- aiXof, a pipe, flute, + Quvfi, voice, 
sound.] In organ-building, a stop having met- 
al pipes of small scale, and a thin, somewhat 
reedy tone. 
kerb (kerb), v. and . An irregular occasional 
spelling of curb, v., 4, and ., 3. 
Mistaking the kerb of our own little philologic well for 
the far-off horizon of science. F. HaU, Mod. Eng., Pref. 
We have the lady (or gentleman) who takes her (or his) 
place upon the kerb with a guitar, adorned with red rib- 
bon, and sings a sentimental song. 
1C. Bemnt, Fifty Years Ago, p. 53. 
kerbstone, . A form of curbstone. 
kerch (kerch), n. [Also curch; < ME. kerche; 
abbr. of kerchief, q. v.] An abbreviated form 
of kerchief. [Prov. Bug.] 
The scarlet sae red. and the kerchet sae white, 
And your bonny locks hangin' down. 
Sweet Willie and Fair Annie (Child's Ballads, II. 135). 
kerite 
kercher (ktVdier), n. [Also cliercher. curcher; 
a corrupt form of kerchief. Of. lunull :i ri-h< T.] 
1. A kerchief. [Provincial.] 
He became like a man in an exstasie and trance, and 
white as a kercher. Korth, tr. of 1'lutarch, p. 74fl. 
I bought thce kercheri to thy head 
That were wrought fine and gallantly. 
OnenSeevei (Child's Ballads, IV. 241). 
2. An animal's caul. Ualliwcll. [Prov. Eng.] 
kerchert (ker'cher), . t. [< kercher, n.] To 
dress or cover, as the head, with a kercher. 
Pale sickness with her kerchered head up wound. 
O. Fletcher, Christ's Victory in llearen. 
kerchief (ker'chif), n. [< ME. kerchef, kyrchefe, 
curcheff, curchief, courchef, keverchef, keverchief, 
coverchief, koeverchef,<. OF. covrechef, eouvrechef, 
cuevrechief, a kerchief, < covrir, cover, + chef, 
chief, head: see cover 1 &nd chief. Hence in comp. 
handkerchief, neckerchief, and by corruption ker- 
cher, curcher, by abbreviation kerch. curch.} 1. 
A head-dress composed of a simple square or 
oblong piece of linen, silk, or other material, 
worn folded, tied, pinned, or otherwise fastened 
about the head,' or more or less loosely attached, 
so as to cover or drape the head and shoulders. 
Some traces of its early form and use still survive in the 
costumes of different parts of Europe, especially among 
the country people. 
Hire kecerchefi ful fyne weren of grounde, 
I durste swere they weygheden ten pounde, 
That on a Sunday were upon hire heed. 
Chaiuer, Gen. Prol. to C. T., 1. 463. 
2. A similar square of linen, cotton, or silk, 
worn on or used about the person for other 
purposes than covering the head. Compare 
handkerchief, neckerchief, and napkin. 
Every man bad a large kerchief folded about his neck. 
SirJ. Hayward. 
Maidens wave 
Their kerchieft, and old women weep for Joy. 
Cooper, Task, vL 700. 
She had a clean buff kerchief round her neck, and stuffed 
Into the bosom of her Sunday woolen gown of dark blue. 
Mrs. Gtukett, Sylvia's Lovers, xv. 
3t. One who wears a kerchief; a woman. 
The proudest kerchief of the court shall rest 
Well satisfy'd of what they love the best. 
Dryden, Wife of Bath's Tale, I. 245. 
Kerchief of pleasancet, a kerchief or scarf worn as a 
lady's favor or as an ornament ; a cointoise. 
kerchief (ker'chif), . t. ; pret. and pp. ker- 
chiefed, kerchieft, ppr. kerchiefing. [< kerchief, 
n,"] To attire with a kerchief; hood. 
Thus, Night, oft see me in thy pale career 
Till civil-suited Morn appear, 
Nut trick d and frounc'd as she was wont 
With the Attlck boy to hunt, 
But kmheft in a comely cloud, 
While rocking winds are piping loud. 
Milton, II Penseroso, 1. 125. 
Mrs. Farebrother, the Vicar's white-haired mother, be- 
frilled and kerchiefed with dainty cleanliness. 
George Eliot, Middleman*, I. 302. 
kerchyt, . An obsolete variant of kereh, ker- 
chief. 
kerectomy (ke-rek'to-mi), n. See cerectomu. 
kerf H. A Middle English preterit of carve 1 . 
kerf 2 (kerf), n. [< ME. kerf, kyrf, < AS. cyrf, a 
cutting (= OFries. kerf = MD. kerf, kerve, D. 
kerf= MLG. kerf, kerve, LG. kerw, karfe = MHG. 
kern, kerbe, G. kerb, kerbe, kerb, a notch, dent, 
= Icel. kjarf, a bundle, kerfi, a bunch), < ceor- 
fan, carve, cut: seecorce 1 .] If. A cut; an in- 
cision; a stroke with a weapon. 
"Kepe the cosyn," quoth the kyng, "that thou on kyrf 
sette, 
& If thou redez hym ryst, redly I trowe 
That thou schal byden the bur that he schal bede after." 
Sir Qawayne and the Green Kniyht (E. E. T. 3.), L 372. 
2. A channel or cut made in wood by a saw or 
other cutting-instrument. 3. In a cloth-shear- 
ing machine, the wool taken off in one passage 
through the cutter. 4. A layer of hay or turf. 
[Prov. Eng.] 5t. That which is cut; a cut- 
ting. 
Twine every kirf aweywarde from the grape. 
PaUadirn, Husbondrle (E. E. T. a), p. 8. 
kerfed (kerft), a. [< kerf* + -ecR] Having 
kerfs or slits Kerfed beam. See beam. 
kerfing-machine (ker'fing-ma-shen'), . A 
sawing-machine for making a series of small 
saw-cuts in a piece of wood, the kerfs so made 
allowing the wood to be bent without break- 
ing. 
Kerguelen cabbage. See Pringlea. 
kerion (ke'ri-on), . [< Gr. loipiov, a cutaneous 
disease, lit. a honeycomb, < w/pof, wax : see 
cere.} A suppurative inflammation of the hair- 
follicles of the scalp. 
kerite (ke'rit), n. [< Gr. ia>p6f, wax, + -ife2.] 
A kind of artificial vulcanite in which the 
