4 letter word starting with k

Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
kine plural of Cow, Cows.
kadi noun Alt. of Kadiaster
kage noun A chantry chapel inclosed with lattice or screen work.
kagu noun A singular, crested, grallatorial bird (Rhinochetos jubatus), native of New Caledonia. It is gray above, paler beneath, and the feathers of the wings and tail are handsomely barred with brown, black, and gray. It is allied to the sun bittern.
kail noun A kind of headless cabbage. Same as Kale, 1., Any cabbage, greens, or vegetables., A broth made with kail or other vegetables; hence, any broth; also, a dinner.
kain noun Poultry, etc., required by the lease to be paid in kind by a tenant to his landlord.
kaka noun A New Zealand parrot of the genus Nestor, especially the brown parrot (Nestor meridionalis).
kale noun A variety of cabbage in which the leaves do not form a head, being nearly the original or wild form of the species., See Kail, 2.
kali noun The last and worst of the four ages of the world; — considered to have begun B. C. 3102, and to last 432,000 years., The black, destroying goddess; — called also Doorga, Anna Purna., The glasswort (Salsola Kali).
kama noun The Hindoo Cupid. He is represented as a beautiful youth, with a bow of sugar cane or flowers.
kame noun A low ridge.
kami noun pl. A title given to the celestial gods of the first mythical dynasty of Japan and extended to the demigods of the second dynasty, and then to the long line of spiritual princes still represented by the mikado.
kand noun Fluor spar; — so called by Cornish miners.
karn noun A pile of rocks; sometimes, the solid rock. See Cairn.
kate noun The brambling finch.
kava noun 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.
kawn noun An inn.
keck verb i. To heave or to retch, as in an effort to vomit., An effort to vomit; queasiness.
keel verb t. & i. To cool; to skim or stir., A brewer’s cooling vat; a keelfat., A longitudinal timber, or series of timbers scarfed together, extending from stem to stern along the bottom of a vessel. It is the principal timber of the vessel, and, by means of the ribs attached on each side, supports the vessel’s frame. In an iron vessel, a combination of plates supplies the place of the keel of a wooden ship. See Illust. of Keelson., Fig.: The whole ship., A barge or lighter, used on the Type for carrying coal from Newcastle; also, a barge load of coal, twenty-one tons, four cwt., The two lowest petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower, united and inclosing the stamens and pistil; a carina. See Carina., A projecting ridge along the middle of a flat or curved surface., To traverse with a keel; to navigate., To turn up the keel; to show the bottom.
keen superl. Sharp; having a fine edge or point; as, a keen razor, or a razor with a keen edge., Acute of mind; sharp; penetrating; having or expressing mental acuteness; as, a man of keen understanding; a keen look; keen features., Bitter; piercing; acrimonious; cutting; stinging; severe; as, keen satire or sarcasm., Piercing; penetrating; cutting; sharp; — applied to cold, wind, etc, ; as, a keen wind; the cold is very keen., Eager; vehement; fierce; as, a keen appetite., To sharpen; to make cold., A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. Coranach., To wail as a keener does.
kept imp. & past participle of Keep, of Keep.
keep verb t. To care; to desire., To hold; to restrain from departure or removal; not to let go of; to retain in one’s power or possession; not to lose; to retain; to detain., To cause to remain in a given situation or condition; to maintain unchanged; to hold or preserve in any state or tenor., To have in custody; to have in some place for preservation; to take charge of., To preserve from danger, harm, or loss; to guard., To preserve from discovery or publicity; not to communicate, reveal, or betray, as a secret., To attend upon; to have the care of; to tend., To record transactions, accounts, or events in; as, to keep books, a journal, etc. ; also, to enter (as accounts, records, etc. ) in a book., To maintain, as an establishment, institution, or the like; to conduct; to manage; as, to keep store., To supply with necessaries of life; to entertain; as, to keep boarders., To have in one’s service; to have and maintain, as an assistant, a servant, a mistress, a horse, etc., To have habitually in stock for sale., To continue in, as a course or mode of action; not to intermit or fall from; to hold to; to maintain; as, to keep silence; to keep one’s word; to keep possession., To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; not to swerve from or violate; to practice or perform, as duty; not to neglect; to be faithful to., To confine one’s self to; not to quit; to remain in; as, to keep one’s house, room, bed, etc. ; hence, to haunt; to frequent., To observe duty, as a festival, etc. ; to celebrate; to solemnize; as, to keep a feast., To remain in any position or state; to continue; to abide; to stay; as, to keep at a distance; to keep aloft; to keep near; to keep in the house; to keep before or behind; to keep in favor; to keep out of company, or out reach., To last; to endure; to remain unimpaired., To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell., To take care; to be solicitous; to watch., To be in session; as, school keeps to-day., The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge., The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case; as, to be in good keep., The means or provisions by which one is kept; maintenance; support; as, the keep of a horse., That which keeps or protects; a stronghold; a fortress; a castle; specifically, the strongest and securest part of a castle, often used as a place of residence by the lord of the castle, especially during a siege; the donjon. See Illust. of Castle., That which is kept in charge; a charge., A cap for retaining anything, as a journal box, in place.
keir noun See Kier.
keld adjective Having a kell or covering; webbed.
kele verb t. To cool.
kell noun A kiln., A sort of pottage; kale. See Kale, 2., The caul; that which covers or envelops as a caul; a net; a fold; a film., The cocoon or chrysalis of an insect.
kelp noun The calcined ashes of seaweed, — formerly much used in the manufacture of glass, now used in the manufacture of iodine., Any large blackish seaweed.
kelt noun See Kilt, n., Cloth with the nap, generally of native black wool., A salmon after spawning., Same as Celt, one of Celtic race.
kemb verb t. To comb.
kemp noun Alt. of Kempty
keno noun A gambling game, a variety of the game of lotto, played with balls or knobs, numbered, and cards also numbered.
kerb noun See Curb.
kerf noun A notch, channel, or slit made in any material by cutting or sawing.
kerl noun See Carl.
kern noun A light-armed foot soldier of the ancient militia of Ireland and Scotland; — distinguished from gallowglass, and often used as a term of contempt., Any kind of boor or low-lived person., An idler; a vagabond., A part of the face of a type which projects beyond the body, or shank., To form with a kern. See 2d Kern., A churn., A hand mill. See Quern., To harden, as corn in ripening., To take the form of kernels; to granulate.
kers noun Alt. of Kerse
kess verb t. To kiss.
kest imp. of Cast.
khan noun A king; a prince; a chief; a governor; — so called among the Tartars, Turks, and Persians, and in countries now or formerly governed by them., An Eastern inn or caravansary.
kibe noun A chap or crack in the flesh occasioned by cold; an ulcerated chilblain.
kiby adjective Affected with kibes.
kick verb t. To strike, thrust, or hit violently with the foot; as, a horse kicks a groom; a man kicks a dog., To thrust out the foot or feet with violence; to strike out with the foot or feet, as in defense or in bad temper; esp., to strike backward, as a horse does, or to have a habit of doing so. Hence, figuratively: To show ugly resistance, opposition, or hostility; to spurn., To recoil; — said of a musket, cannon, etc., A blow with the foot or feet; a striking or thrust with the foot., The projection on the tang of the blade of a pocket knife, which prevents the edge of the blade from striking the spring. See Illust. of Pocketknife., A projection in a mold, to form a depression in the surface of the brick., The recoil of a musket or other firearm, when discharged.
kier noun A large tub or vat in which goods are subjected to the action of hot lye or bleaching liquor; — also called keeve.
kike verb i. To gaze; to stare., To kick.
kill noun A kiln., A channel or arm of the sea; a river; a stream; as, the channel between Staten Island and Bergen Neck is the Kill van Kull, or the Kills; — used also in composition; as, Schuylkill, Catskill, etc., To deprive of life, animal or vegetable, in any manner or by any means; to render inanimate; to put to death; to slay., To destroy; to ruin; as, to kill one’s chances; to kill the sale of a book., To cause to cease; to quell; to calm; to still; as, in seamen’s language, a shower of rain kills the wind., To destroy the effect of; to counteract; to neutralize; as, alkali kills acid.
kiln noun A large stove or oven; a furnace of brick or stone, or a heated chamber, for the purpose of hardening, burning, or drying anything; as, a kiln for baking or hardening earthen vessels; a kiln for drying grain, meal, lumber, etc.; a kiln for calcining limestone., A furnace for burning bricks; a brickkiln.
kilo noun An abbreviation of Kilogram.
kilt p. p. from Kill., A kind of short petticoat, reaching from the waist to the knees, worn in the Highlands of Scotland by men, and in the Lowlands by young boys; a filibeg., To tuck up; to truss up, as the clothes.
kind superl. Characteristic of the species; belonging to one’s nature; natural; native., Having feelings befitting our common nature; congenial; sympathetic; as, a kind man; a kind heart., Showing tenderness or goodness; disposed to do good and confer happiness; averse to hurting or paining; benevolent; benignant; gracious., Proceeding from, or characterized by, goodness, gentleness, or benevolence; as, a kind act., Gentle; tractable; easily governed; as, a horse kind in harness., Nature; natural instinct or disposition., Race; genus; species; generic class; as, in mankind or humankind., Nature; style; character; sort; fashion; manner; variety; description; class; as, there are several kinds of eloquence, of style, and of music; many kinds of government; various kinds of soil, etc., To beget.
king noun A Chinese musical instrument, consisting of resonant stones or metal plates, arranged according to their tones in a frame of wood, and struck with a hammer., A chief ruler; a sovereign; one invested with supreme authority over a nation, country, or tribe, usually by hereditary succession; a monarch; a prince., One who, or that which, holds a supreme position or rank; a chief among competitors; as, a railroad king; a money king; the king of the lobby; the king of beasts., A playing card having the picture of a king; as, the king of diamonds., The chief piece in the game of chess., A crowned man in the game of draughts., The title of two historical books in the Old Testament., To supply with a king; to make a king of; to raise to royalty.
kink noun A twist or loop in a rope or thread, caused by a spontaneous doubling or winding upon itself; a close loop or curl; a doubling in a cord., An unreasonable notion; a crotchet; a whim; a caprice., To wind into a kink; to knot or twist spontaneously upon itself, as a rope or thread., A fit of coughing; also, a convulsive fit of laughter.
kino noun The dark red dried juice of certain plants, used variously in tanning, in dyeing, and as an astringent in medicine.
kipe noun An osier basket used for catching fish.
kirk noun A church or the church, in the various senses of the word; esp., the Church of Scotland as distinguished from other reformed churches, or from the Roman Catholic Church.
kish noun A workman’s name for the graphite which forms incidentally in iron smelting.
kiss verb t. To salute with the lips, as a mark of affection, reverence, submission, forgiveness, etc., To touch gently, as if fondly or caressingly., To make or give salutation with the lips in token of love, respect, etc.; as, kiss and make friends., To meet; to come in contact; to touch fondly., A salutation with the lips, as a token of affection, respect, etc.; as, a parting kiss; a kiss of reconciliation., A small piece of confectionery.
kist noun A chest; hence, a coffin., A stated payment, especially a payment of rent for land; hence, the time for such payment.
kite noun Any raptorial bird of the subfamily Milvinae, of which many species are known. They have long wings, adapted for soaring, and usually a forked tail., Fig. : One who is rapacious., A light frame of wood or other material covered with paper or cloth, for flying in the air at the end of a string., A lofty sail, carried only when the wind is light., A quadrilateral, one of whose diagonals is an axis of symmetry., Fictitious commercial paper used for raising money or to sustain credit, as a check which represents no deposit in bank, or a bill of exchange not sanctioned by sale of goods; an accommodation check or bill., The brill., To raise money by “kites;” as, kiting transactions. See Kite, 6., The belly.
kith noun Acquaintance; kindred.
kive noun A mash vat. See Keeve.
knab verb t. To seize with the teeth; to gnaw., To nab. See Nab, v. t.
knag noun A knot in wood; a protuberance., A wooden peg for hanging things on., The prong of an antler., The rugged top of a hill.
knap noun A protuberance; a swelling; a knob; a button; hence, rising ground; a summit. See Knob, and Knop., To bite; to bite off; to break short., To strike smartly; to rap; to snap., To make a sound of snapping., A sharp blow or slap.
knar noun See Gnar.
knaw verb t. See Gnaw.
knee noun In man, the joint in the middle part of the leg., The joint, or region of the joint, between the thigh and leg., In the horse and allied animals, the carpal joint, corresponding to the wrist in man., A piece of timber or metal formed with an angle somewhat in the shape of the human knee when bent., A bending of the knee, as in respect or courtesy., To supplicate by kneeling.
knew imp. of Know., of Know
knit imp. & past participle of Knit, To form into a knot, or into knots; to tie together, as cord; to fasten by tying., To form, as a textile fabric, by the interlacing of yarn or thread in a series of connected loops, by means of needles, either by hand or by machinery; as, to knit stockings., To join; to cause to grow together., To unite closely; to connect; to engage; as, hearts knit together in love., To draw together; to contract into wrinkles., To form a fabric by interlacing yarn or thread; to weave by making knots or loops., To be united closely; to grow together; as, broken bones will in time knit and become sound., Union knitting; texture.
knob noun A hard protuberance; a hard swelling or rising; a bunch; a lump; as, a knob in the flesh, or on a bone., A knoblike ornament or handle; as, the knob of a lock, door, or drawer., A rounded hill or mountain; as, the Pilot Knob., See Knop., To grow into knobs or bunches; to become knobbed.
knop noun A knob; a bud; a bunch; a button., Any boldly projecting sculptured ornament; esp., the ornamental termination of a pinnacle, and then synonymous with finial; — called also knob, and knosp.
knor noun See Knur.
knot noun A fastening together of the pars or ends of one or more threads, cords, ropes, etc., by any one of various ways of tying or entangling., A lump or loop formed in a thread, cord, rope. etc., as at the end, by tying or interweaving it upon itself., An ornamental tie, as of a ribbon., A bond of union; a connection; a tie., Something not easily solved; an intricacy; a difficulty; a perplexity; a problem., A figure the lines of which are interlaced or intricately interwoven, as in embroidery, gardening, etc., A cluster of persons or things; a collection; a group; a hand; a clique; as, a knot of politicians., A portion of a branch of a tree that forms a mass of woody fiber running at an angle with the grain of the main stock and making a hard place in the timber. A loose knot is generally the remains of a dead branch of a tree covered by later woody growth., A knob, lump, swelling, or protuberance., A protuberant joint in a plant., The point on which the action of a story depends; the gist of a matter., See Node., A division of the log line, serving to measure the rate of the vessel’s motion. Each knot on the line bears the same proportion to a mile that thirty seconds do to an hour. The number of knots which run off from the reel in half a minute, therefore, shows the number of miles the vessel sails in an hour., A nautical mile, or 6080.27 feet; as, when a ship goes eight miles an hour, her speed is said to be eight knots., A kind of epaulet. See Shoulder knot., A sandpiper (Tringa canutus), found in the northern parts of all the continents, in summer. It is grayish or ashy above, with the rump and upper tail coverts white, barred with dusky. The lower parts are pale brown, with the flanks and under tail coverts white. When fat it is prized by epicures. Called also dunne., To tie in or with, or form into, a knot or knots; to form a knot on, as a rope; to entangle., To unite closely; to knit together., To entangle or perplex; to puzzle., To form knots or joints, as in a cord, a plant, etc.; to become entangled., To knit knots for fringe or trimming., To copulate; — said of toads.
know noun Knee., To perceive or apprehend clearly and certainly; to understand; to have full information of; as, to know one’s duty., To be convinced of the truth of; to be fully assured of; as, to know things from information., To be acquainted with; to be no stranger to; to be more or less familiar with the person, character, etc., of; to possess experience of; as, to know an author; to know the rules of an organization., To recognize; to distinguish; to discern the character of; as, to know a person’s face or figure., To have sexual commerce with., To have knowledge; to have a clear and certain perception; to possess wisdom, instruction, or information; — often with of., To be assured; to feel confident.
knur noun A knurl.
koba noun Any one of several species of African antelopes of the genus Kobus, esp. the species Kobus sing-sing.
koel noun Any one of several species of cuckoos of the genus Eudynamys, found in India, the East Indies, and Australia. They deposit their eggs in the nests of other birds.
koff noun A two-masted Dutch vessel.
kohl noun A mixture of soot and other ingredients, used by Egyptian and other Eastern women to darken the edges of the eyelids.
kris noun A Malay dagger. See Creese.
ksar noun See Czar.
kuda noun The East Indian tapir. See Tapir.
kudu noun See Koodoo.
kurd noun A native or inhabitant of a mountainous region of Western Asia belonging to the Turkish and Persian monarchies.
kyar noun Cocoanut fiber, or the cordage made from it. See Coir.
kyaw noun A daw.
kyke verb i. To look steadfastly; to gaze.