Karpholite Kar"pho·lite noun [ Greek ... rice straw +
-lite : confer French
carpholithe .]
(Min.) A fibrous mineral occurring in tufts of a straw-yellow color. It is a hydrous silicate of alumina and manganese.
Karroo Kar·roo" (kȧr*rō")
noun ;
plural Karroos (-rōz").
One of the dry table-lands of South Africa, which often rise terracelike to considerable elevations. [ Also
karoo .]
The Great Karroo , or
The Karroo ,
a vast plateau, in Cape Colony, stretching through five degrees of longitude, at an elevation of about 3,000 feet.
Karstenite Kar"sten·ite noun Same as Anhydrite .
Karvel Kar"vel noun [ Obsolete]
See Carvel , and Caravel .
Karyokinesis Kar"y·o·ki·ne`sis (kăr`ĭ*o*ki*nē"sĭs)
noun [ New Latin , from Greek
ka`ryon a nut, kernel +
kinei^n to move.]
(Biol.) The indirect division of cells in which, prior to division of the cell protoplasm, complicated changes take place in the nucleus, attended with movement of the nuclear fibrils; -- opposed to karyostenosis . The nucleus becomes enlarged and convoluted, and finally the threads are separated into two groups which ultimately become disconnected and constitute the daughter nuclei . Called also mitosis . See Cell development , under Cell .
Karyokinetic Kar`y·o·ki·net"ic (-nĕt"ĭk)
adjective (Biol.) Of or pertaining to karyokinesis; as, karyokinetic changes of cell division.
Karyomiton Kar`y·om"i·ton (-ŏm"ĭ*tŏn)
noun [ New Latin , Greek
ka`ryon a nut +
mi`tos a thread.]
(Biol.) The reticular network of fine fibers, of which the nucleus of a cell is in part composed; -- in opposition to kytomiton , or the network in the body of the cell. W. Flemming.
Karyoplasma Kar`y·o·plas"ma (kăr`ĭ*o*plăz"mȧ)
noun [ New Latin , from Greek
ka`ryon a nut +
pla`sma a thing molded.]
(Biol.) The protoplasmic substance of the nucleus of a cell: nucleoplasm; -- in opposition to kytoplasma , the protoplasm of the cell.
Karyostenosis Kar`y·o·ste·no"sis noun [ New Latin , from Greek
ka`ryon a nut, kernel + ... a being straitened.]
(Biol.) Direct cell division (in which there is first a simple division of the nucleus, without any changes in its structure, followed by division of the protoplasm of the cell); -- in opposition to karyokinesis . [ 1913 Webster]
Karyostenotic Kar`y·o·ste·not"ic adjective (Biol.) Pertaining to, or connected with, karyostenosis; as, the karyostenotic mode of nuclear division.
Kasack Ka·sack" (kăt)
noun (Ethnol.) Same as Cossack .
Kat Kat (kät)
noun (Botany) An Arabian shrub ( Catha edulis ) the leaves of which are used as tea by the Arabs.
Katabolic Kat`a·bol"ic adjective (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to katabolism; as, katabolic processes, which give rise to substances (katastates) of decreasing complexity and increasing stability.
Katabolism Ka·tab"o·lism noun [ Greek ... down + ... to throw.]
(Physiol.) Destructive or downward metabolism; regressive metamorphism; -- opposed to anabolism . See Disassimilation .
Katastate Kat"a·state noun [ Greek down + to cause to stand.]
(Physiol.) A substance formed by a katabolic process; -- opposed to anastate . See Katabolic .
Kate Kate noun (Zoology) The brambling finch.
Kathetal Kath"e·tal adjective [ Greek ... a perpendicular line. See
Cathetus .]
(Math.) Making a right angle; perpendicular, as two lines or two sides of a triangle, which include a right angle.
Kathetometer Kath`e·tom"e·ter noun Same as Cathetometer .
Kattimundoo Kat`ti·mun"doo noun A caoutchouc-like substance obtained from the milky juice of the East Indian Euphorbia Kattimundoo . It is used as a cement.
Katydid Ka"ty·did` noun (Zoology) A large, green, arboreal, orthopterous insect ( Cyrtophyllus concavus ) of the family Locustidæ , common in the United States. The males have stridulating organs at the bases of the front wings. During the summer and autumn, in the evening, the males make a peculiar, loud, shrill sound, resembling the combination Katy-did , whence the name.
Kauri Ka"u·ri noun [ Native name.]
(Botany) A lofty coniferous tree of New Zealand Agathis, or Dammara, australis ), furnishing valuable timber and yielding one kind of dammar resin. [ Written also
kaudi ,
cowdie , and
cowrie .]
Kauri Kau"ri noun (a) Kauri resin. (b) By extension, any of various species of Dammara ; as, the red kauri ( D. lanceolata ).
Kauri resin, gum Kauri resin, gum or copal A resinous product of the kauri, found in the form of yellow or brown lumps in the ground where the trees have grown. It is used for making varnish, and as a substitute for amber.
Kava Ka"va noun [ Polynesian.]
(Botany) A species of Macropiper ( M. methysticum ), the long pepper, from the root of which an intoxicating beverage is made by the Polynesians, by a process of mastication; also, the beverage itself. [ Written also
kawa ,
kava , and
ava .]
Kavass Ka·vass" noun ;
plural Kavasses [ Turk.
kāvvās ]
An armed constable; also, a government servant or courier. [ Turkey]
Kaw Kaw intransitive verb & noun See Caw .
Kawaka Ka·wa"ka noun (Botany) a New Zealand tree, the Cypress cedar ( Libocedrus Doniana ), having a valuable, fine-grained, reddish wood.
Kawn Kawn noun An inn. [ Turkey] See
Khan .
Kayak Kay"ak noun (Nautical) A light canoe, made of skins stretched over a frame, and usually capable of carrying but one person, who sits amidships and uses a double-bladed paddle. It is peculiar to the Eskimos and other Arctic tribes.
Kayaker Kay"ak·er noun One who uses a kayak.
Kayko Kay"ko noun (Zoology) The dog salmon.
Kayles Kayles noun plural [ Akin to Danish
kegle , Swedish
kegla , D. & German
kegel , Old High German
kegil , whence French
quille .]
A game; ninepins. [ Prov Eng.]
Carew.
Kaynard Kay"nard noun [ French
cagnard .]
A lazy or cowardly person; a rascal. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Kazoo Ka·zoo" noun [ Etymol. uncertain.]
A kind of toy or rude musical instrument, as a tube inside of which is a stretched string made to vibrate by singing or humming into the tube.
Kea Ke"a (kā"ȧ;
colloquial kē"ȧ)
noun [ Maori.]
(Zoology) A large New Zealand parrot ( Nestor notabilis ), notorious for having acquired the habit of killing sheep; -- called also mountain parrot .
Keck Keck intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Kecked ;
present participle & verbal noun Kecking .] [ Confer dial. German
köcken ,
köken .]
To heave or to retch, as in an effort to vomit. [ R.]
Swift.
Keck Keck noun An effort to vomit; queasiness. [ R.]
Keckle Kec"kle intransitive verb & noun See Keck , intransitive verb & noun
Keckle Kec"kle transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Keckled ;
present participle & verbal noun Keckling .]
(Nautical) To wind old rope around, as a cable, to preserve its surface from being fretted, or to wind iron chains around, to defend from the friction of a rocky bottom, or from the ice. Totten.
Keckling Kec"kling noun Old rope or iron chains wound around a cable. See Keckle , transitive verb
Kecklish Kec"klish adjective [ From
keck ,
keckle .]
Inclined to vomit; squeamish. [ R.]
Holland.
Kecksy Keck"sy noun ;
plural Kecksies (-sĭz). [ Properly plural of
kex . See
Kex .]
(Botany) The hollow stalk of an umbelliferous plant, such as the cow parsnip or the hemlock. [ Written also
kex , and in
pl .,
kecks ,
kaxes .]
Nothing teems
But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies , burs.
Shak.
Kecky Keck"y adjective Resembling a kecksy. Grew.
Keddah Ked"dah noun [ Malay
kedah , from Arabic
qadah hole.]
An inclosure constructed to entrap wild elephants; an elephant trap. [ India]
Kedge Kedge (kĕj)
intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Kedged (kĕjd);
present participle & verbal noun Kedging .] [ Confer dial. Swedish
keka to tug, to drag one's self slowly forward; or perhaps from
ked , and
kedge ,
noun , for
keg anchor , named from the
keg or cask fastened to the anchor to show where it lies.]
(Nautical) To move (a vessel) by carrying out a kedge in a boat, dropping it overboard, and hauling the vessel up to it.
Kedge Kedge noun [ See
Kedge ,
transitive verb ]
(Nautical) A small anchor used whenever a large one can be dispensed with. See Kedge , transitive verb , and Anchor , noun
Kedger Kedg"er noun (Nautical) A small anchor; a kedge.
Kedlock Ked"lock (kĕd"lŏk)
noun [ Confer dial. German
köddik ,
küdik ,
kettich ,
keek , Danish
kidike , English
charlock , and Anglo-Saxon
cedelc the herb mercury.]
(Botany) See Charlock .
Kee Kee (kē)
noun plural of Cow. [ Anglo-Saxon
cȳ , plural of
cū cow. See
Kine .]
See Kie , Ky , and Kine . [ Prov. Eng.]
Gay.
Keech Keech (kēch)
noun [ Confer Prov. English
keech a cake.]
A mass or lump of fat rolled up by the butcher. [ Obsolete]
Shak.
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