Background for keys

keys

/kiːz/

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noun

An object designed to open and close a lock.

Examples :

"I used my keys to unlock the front door. "

item utensil utility

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noun

An object designed to fit between two other objects (such as a shaft and a wheel) in a mechanism and maintain their relative orientation.

Examples :

"The mechanic used keys to lock the gears onto the axle, preventing them from spinning independently. "

technical machine part

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noun

A crucial step or requirement.

Examples :

"The key to solving this problem is persistence."

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noun

A guide explaining the symbols or terminology of a map or chart; a legend.

Examples :

"The key says that A stands for the accounting department."

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noun

A guide to the correct answers of a worksheet or test.

Examples :

"Some students cheated by using the answer key."

education writing info

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noun

One of several small, usually square buttons on a typewriter or computer keyboard, mostly corresponding to text characters.

Examples :

"Press the Escape key."

computing technology electronics machine

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noun

In musical instruments, one of the valve levers used to select notes, such as a lever opening a hole on a woodwind.

Examples :

"The student carefully pressed the keys of the clarinet to play the correct melody. "

music part machine

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noun

In instruments with a keyboard such as an organ or piano, one of the levers, or especially the exposed front end of it, which are depressed to cause a particular sound or note to be produced.

Examples :

"The pianist pressed the keys of the piano to play a beautiful melody. "

music part sound machine

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noun

The lowest note of a scale; keynote.

Examples :

"The speaker's voice dropped to the keys of sadness when she talked about her lost dog. "

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noun

In musical theory, the total melodic and harmonic relations, which exist between the tones of an ideal scale, major or minor; tonality.

Examples :

"The composer carefully chose the keys of C major and A minor for his symphony to create a balance between feelings of joy and sadness. "

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noun

In musical theory and notation, the tonality centering in a given tone, or the several tones taken collectively, of a given scale, major or minor.

Examples :

"The music teacher explained the difference between the keys of C major and G major. "

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noun

In musical notation, a sign at the head of a staff indicating the musical key.

Examples :

"The student learned that the keys at the beginning of the musical score determined whether the song would be in C major or another scale. "

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noun

The general pitch or tone of a sentence or utterance.

Examples :

"The speaker adjusted the keys of her voice to sound more comforting when talking to the upset child. "

language linguistics sound

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noun

A modification of an advertisement so as to target a particular group or demographic.

Examples :

"The marketing team developed different keys for the same car advertisement, one highlighting safety features for families and another emphasizing performance for younger drivers. "

business communication media

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noun

An indehiscent, one-seeded fruit furnished with a wing, such as the fruit of the ash and maple; a samara.

Examples :

"In autumn, the wind scattered hundreds of maple keys across the lawn, spinning as they fell. "

fruit plant seed biology nature

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noun

A manual electrical switching device primarily used for the transmission of Morse code.

Examples :

"During World War II, skilled radio operators used keys to send crucial messages in Morse code across vast distances. "

communication electronics device machine signal technology technical military

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noun

A piece of information (e.g. a passphrase) used to encode or decode a message or messages.

Examples :

"The computer system uses two keys: one to lock the files and another to unlock them. "

technology computing communication internet signal

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noun

A password restricting access to an IRC channel.

Examples :

""To join the private IRC channel, you'll need to know the keys." "

internet computing communication technology

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noun

In a relational database, a field used as an index into another table (not necessarily unique).

Examples :

"In our school's database, the "student ID" field in the "Classes" table acts as keys connecting each class record to the specific students enrolled, even though multiple students can share the same class. "

computing internet technical technology

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noun

A value that uniquely identifies an entry in a container.

Examples :

"In our school's computer system, student ID numbers serve as the keys to access each student's grades. "

computing technology technical

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noun

The free-throw lane together with the circle surrounding the free-throw line, the free-throw lane having formerly been narrower, giving the area the shape of a skeleton key hole.

Examples :

"He shoots from the top of the key."

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noun

A series of logically organized groups of discriminating information which aims to allow the user to correctly identify a taxon.

Examples :

"The botany student used the plant identification keys to determine the type of flower. "

biology science organism nature

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noun

A piece of wood used as a wedge.

Examples :

"The carpenter used keys to tighten the tenon joint in the wooden chair leg. "

material part thing

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noun

The last board of a floor when laid down.

Examples :

"The carpenter carefully placed the final keys of the wooden floor. "

building architecture

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noun

Examples :

"The keys to a successful team project were communication, collaboration, and a clear understanding of each member's role. "

architecture structure part

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noun

That part of the plastering which is forced through between the laths and holds the rest in place.

Examples :

"The plaster started to crack because some of the keys, the plaster forced between the laths, had broken. "

architecture building material part

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noun

A wooden support for a rail on the bullhead rail system.

Examples :

"The track workers hammered new keys into place to secure the rails to the sleepers on the old railway line. "

technical machine part structure industry

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noun

The degree of roughness, or retention ability of a surface to have applied a liquid such as paint, or glue.

Examples :

"The door panel should be sanded down carefully to provide a good key for the new paint."

material technical industry art quality

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noun

The thirty-third card of the Lenormand deck.

Examples :

"In the Lenormand reading, the "keys" card suggests that the solution to her problem is within reach. "

astrology supernatural

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noun

(print and film) The black ink layer, especially in relation to the three color layers of cyan, magenta, and yellow. See also CMYK.

Examples :

"The printing company used more keys on the poster to make the text bolder and easier to read. "

media technical color

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noun

A color to be masked or made transparent.

Examples :

"In the video editing software, we used keys to remove the green screen background and replace it with a beach scene. "

color technical media computing

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verb

To fit (a lock) with a key.

Examples :

"The landlord will key the new apartment before we move in. "

utility property

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verb

To fit (pieces of a mechanical assembly) with a key to maintain the orientation between them.

Examples :

"The mechanic will key the drive shaft to the engine flywheel to prevent them from rotating independently. "

technical machine part industry

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verb

To mark or indicate with a symbol indicating membership in a class.

Examples :

"The teacher keys each student's test with a unique code to track their progress. "

mark sign writing

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verb

(telegraphy and radio telegraphy) To depress (a telegraph key).

Examples :

"The student carefully keyed the telegraph key to send the message home. "

communication electronics technology signal

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verb

To operate (the transmitter switch of a two-way radio).

Examples :

""Before speaking on the radio, you need to key the microphone." "

communication technology electronics

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verb

(more usually to key in) To enter (information) by typing on a keyboard or keypad.

Examples :

"Our instructor told us to key in our user IDs."

computing technology machine communication internet

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verb

To vandalize (a car, etc.) by scratching with an implement such as a key.

Examples :

"He keyed the car that had taken his parking spot."

property action vehicle police

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verb

To link (as one might do with a key or legend).

Examples :

"The chart keys the different colors to specific product categories, making it easy to understand sales data. "

communication language technical

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verb

To be identified as a certain taxon when using a key.

Examples :

"If the plant has opposite leaves and five petals, it keys to the genus Geranium in this flower identification guide. "

biology organism

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verb

To modify (an advertisement) so as to target a particular group or demographic.

Examples :

"The marketing team plans to key the online ad campaign to young adults by focusing on social media platforms and trending topics. "

media business communication

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verb

To attune to; to set at; to pitch.

Examples :

"The choir director keys the singers to middle C before they begin practicing the new song. "

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verb

To fasten or secure firmly; to fasten or tighten with keys or wedges.

Examples :

"The carpenter will keys the wooden planks together to ensure the table is stable and strong. "

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noun

One of a string of small islands.

Examples :

"the Florida Keys"

geography place

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noun

In the International System of Units, the base unit of mass; conceived of as the mass of one litre of water, but now defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the Planck constant h to be 6.626 070 15 × 10-34 when expressed in units of kg⋅m2⋅s−1. Symbol: kg

Examples :

"That large bag of potatoes weighs approximately 5 keys. "

mass unit physics science

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noun

The unit of weight such that a one-kilogram mass is also a one-kilogram weight.

Examples :

"The science experiment required careful measurement, using kilograms to ensure the mass and weight of the chemicals were precisely balanced. "

physics mass unit

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noun

A stone or concrete structure on navigable water used for loading and unloading vessels; a wharf.

Examples :

"The fishing boats returned to the keys to unload their catch. "

nautical architecture building structure