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Karaite

A sect of Jews who adhere closely to the letter of the Scriptures, rejecting the oral law, and allowing the Talmud no binding authority; -- opposed to the Rabbinists.

Karakul

A type of Astrakhan, esp. in fine grades, obtained from the Karakul sheep. See sense 2 and cf. Caracul.

Karat

the unit of measurement for the proportion of gold in an alloy; 18-karat gold is 75 2.122e-314old; 24-karat gold is pure gold.

Karatas

A West Indian plant of the Pineapple family (Nidularium Karatas).

karate

a traditional Japanese system of unarmed combat; sharp blows and kicks are given to pressure-sensitive points on the body of the opponent.

Karma

One's acts considered as fixing one's lot in the future existence.

Karmathian

One of an Islamic sect founded in the ninth century by Karmat.

Karn

A pile of rocks; sometimes, the solid rock. See Cairn.

Karob

The twenty-fourth part of a grain; -- a weight used by goldsmiths.

Kaross

A native garment or rug of skin sewed together in the form of a square.

Karpholite

A fibrous mineral occurring in tufts of a straw-yellow color. It is a hydrous silicate of alumina and manganese.

Karroo

One of the dry table-lands of South Africa, which often rise terracelike to considerable elevations.

Karvel

See Carvel, and Caravel.

Karyokinesis

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

Of or pertaining to karyokinesis; as, karyokinetic changes of cell division.

Karyomiton

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.

karyoplasma karyoplasm

The protoplasmic substance of the nucleus of a cell; nucleoplasm; -- in opposition to cytoplasm, the protoplasm of the cell.

Karyostenosis

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.

Karyostenotic

Pertaining to, or connected with, karyostenosis; as, the karyostenotic mode of nuclear division.

Kat

An Arabian shrub (Catha edulis) the leaves of which are used as tea by the Arabs.

katabolic

Of or pertaining to catabolism; same as catabolic.

Katabolism

Destructive or downward metabolism; regressive metamorphism; same as catabolism (now the more common spelling); -- opposed to anabolism. See Disassimilation.

Katastate

A substance formed by a catabolic process; -- opposed to anastate. See catabolic.

Kate

The brambling finch.

katharsis

purging of emotional tensions; -- usually spelled catharsis.

Kathetal

Making a right angle; perpendicular, as two lines or two sides of a triangle, which include a right angle.

Katsuwonidae

A natural family of fish which in some classifications is considered a separate family comprising the oceanic bonitos.

Katsuwonus

A genus of oceanic bonitos; in some classifications it is placed in its own family Katsuwonidae.

Kattimundoo

A caoutchouc-like substance obtained from the milky juice of the East Indian Euphorbia Kattimundoo. It is used as a cement.

Katydid

A large, green, arboreal, orthopterous insect (Cyrtophyllus concavus) of the family Locustid/, 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

Kauri resin. any of various species of Dammara; as, the red kauri (Dammara lanceolata).

Kava

A species of Macropiper (Macropiper 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.

Kavass

An armed constable; also, a government servant or courier.

Kawaka

a New Zealand tree, the Cypress cedar (Libocedrus Doniana), having a valuable, fine-grained, reddish wood.

Kayak

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.

Kaynard

A lazy or cowardly person; a rascal.

kazoo

A kind of toy or rude musical instrument, as a tube inside of which is a stretched string or membrane made to vibrate by singing or humming into the tube.

Kea

A large New Zealand parrot (Nestor notabilis), notorious for having acquired the habit of killing sheep; -- called also mountain parrot.

Keck

An effort to vomit; queasiness.

Keckle

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.

Keckling

Old rope or iron chains wound around a cable. See Keckle, v. t.

Kecksy

The hollow stalk of an umbelliferous plant, such as the cow parsnip or the hemlock.

Kecky

Resembling a kecksy.

Keddah

An inclosure constructed to entrap wild elephants; an elephant trap.

Kedge

A small anchor used whenever a large one can be dispensed with. See Kedge, v. t., and Anchor, n.

Kedger

A small anchor; a kedge.

Kee

See Kie, Ky, and Kine.

Keech

A mass or lump of fat rolled up by the butcher.

Keel

To traverse with a keel; to navigate.

keel over

To drop down in a faint, or as if dead; to die.

Keelage

The right of demanding a duty or toll for a ship entering a port; also, the duty or toll.

Keeled

Keel-shaped; having a longitudinal prominence on the back; as, a keeled leaf.

Keeler

One employed in managing a Newcastle keel; -- called also keelman.

Keelfat

A cooler; a vat for cooling wort, etc.

Keelhaul

To haul under the keel of a ship, by ropes attached to the yardarms on each side. It was formerly practiced as a punishment in the Dutch and English navies.

Keelivine

A pencil of black or red lead; -- called also keelyvine pen.

Keels

Ninepins. See Kayles.

Keelson

A piece of timber in a ship laid on the middle of the floor timbers over the keel, and binding the floor timbers to the keel; in iron vessels, a structure of plates, situated like the keelson of a timber ship.

Keen

To wail as a keener does.

Keener

A professional mourner who wails at a funeral.

Keenness

The quality or state of being keen.

Keep

The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge.

Keeper

One who, or that which, keeps; one who, or that which, holds or has possession of anything.

Keeping

A holding; restraint; custody; guard; charge; care; preservation.

Keepsake

Anything kept, or given to be kept, for the sake of the giver; a token of friendship.

Keeve

To set in a keeve, or tub, for fermentation.

Kefir

An effervescent liquor like kumiss, made from fermented milk, used as a food and as a medicine in the northern Caucasus.

Keg

A small cask or barrel.

Keilhauite

A mineral of a brownish black color, related to titanite in form. It consists chiefly of silica, titanium dioxide, lime, and yttria.

Keitloa

A black, two-horned, African rhinoceros (Atelodus keitloa). It has the posterior horn about as long as the anterior one, or even longer.

Keld

Having a kell or covering; webbed.

Kell

The caul; that which covers or envelops as a caul; a net; a fold; a film.

Kelp

The calcined ashes of seaweed, -- formerly much used in the manufacture of glass, now used in the manufacture of iodine.

Kelpfish

A small California food fish (Heterostichus rostratus), living among kelp. The name is also applied to species of the genus Platyglossus.

Kelpy Kelpie

An imaginary spirit of the waters, horselike in form, vulgarly believed to warn, by preternatural noises and lights, those who are to be drowned.

Kelt

Same as Celt, one of Celtic race.

Kelter

Regular order or proper condition.

Kelvin

The SI unit of temperature, defined as being 1/273.16 of the triple point of water; abbreviated K. The melting point of water at 760 mm pressure is 273.15 Kelvins, and the boiling point 373.15 Kelvins. One degree Kelvin is equal to one degree Centigrade, and / degrees Fahrenheit.

Kemps

The long flower stems of the ribwort plantain (Plantago Lanceolata).

Kempt

p. p. of Kemb; combed.

Kempty Kemp

Coarse, rough hair in wool or fur, injuring its quality.

Ken

Cognizance; view; especially, reach of sight or knowledge.

Kennedya Kennedia

A genus of Australian woody vines having showy red or purplish flowers.

Kennel

To put or keep in a kennel.

Keno

A gambling game, a variety of the game of lotto, played with balls or knobs, numbered, and cards also numbered.

Kenogenesis

Modified evolution, in which nonprimitive characters make their appearance in consequence of a secondary adaptation of the embryo to the peculiar conditions of its environment; -- distinguished from palingenesis.

Kenogenetic

Of or pertaining to kenogenesis; as, kenogenetic processes.

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