Keyword

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Key \Key\ (k[=e]), n. [OE. keye, key, kay, AS. c[ae]g.]
     1. An instrument by means of which the bolt of a lock is shot
        or drawn; usually, a removable metal instrument fitted to
        the mechanism of a particular lock and operated by turning
        in its place.
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     2. A small device which is inserted into a mechanism and
        turned like a key to fasten, adjust, or wind it; as, a
        watch key; a bed key; the winding key for a clock, etc.
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     3. One of a set of small movable parts on an instrument or
        machine which, by being depressed, serves as the means of
        operating it; the complete set of keys is usually called
        the keyboard; as, the keys of a piano, an organ, an
        accordion, a computer keyboard, or of a typewriter. The
        keys may operate parts of the instrument by a mechanical
        action, as on a piano, or by closing an electrical
        circuit, as on a computer keyboard. See also senses 12 and
        13.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     4. A position or condition which affords entrance, control,
        pr possession, etc.; as, the key of a line of defense; the
        key of a country; the key of a political situation. Hence,
        that which serves to unlock, open, discover, or solve
        something unknown or difficult; as, the key to a riddle;
        the key to a problem. Similarly, see also senses 14 and
        15.
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              Those who are accustomed to reason have got the true
              key of books.                         --Locke.
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              Who keeps the keys of all the creeds. --Tennyson.
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     5. That part of a mechanism which serves to lock up, make
        fast, or adjust to position.
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     6. (Arch.)
        (a) A piece of wood used as a wedge.
        (b) The last board of a floor when laid down.
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     7. (Masonry)
        (a) A keystone.
        (b) That part of the plastering which is forced through
            between the laths and holds the rest in place.
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     8. (Mach.)
        (a) A wedge to unite two or more pieces, or adjust their
            relative position; a cotter; a forelock. See Illusts.
            of {Cotter}, and {Gib}.
        (b) A bar, pin or wedge, to secure a crank, pulley,
            coupling, etc., upon a shaft, and prevent relative
            turning; sometimes holding by friction alone, but more
            frequently by its resistance to shearing, being
            usually embedded partly in the shaft and partly in the
            crank, pulley, etc.
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     9. (Bot.) An indehiscent, one-seeded fruit furnished with a
        wing, as the fruit of the ash and maple; a samara; --
        called also {key fruit}.
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     10. (Mus.)
         (a) A family of tones whose regular members are called
             diatonic tones, and named key tone (or tonic) or one
             (or eight), mediant or three, dominant or five,
             subdominant or four, submediant or six, supertonic or
             two, and subtonic or seven. Chromatic tones are
             temporary members of a key, under such names as "
             sharp four," "flat seven," etc. Scales and tunes of
             every variety are made from the tones of a key.
         (b) The fundamental tone of a movement to which its
             modulations are referred, and with which it generally
             begins and ends; keynote.
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                   Both warbling of one song, both in one key.
                                                    --Shak.
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     11. Fig: The general pitch or tone of a sentence or
         utterance.
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               You fall at once into a lower key.   --Cowper.
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     12. (Teleg.) A metallic lever by which the circuit of the
         sending or transmitting part of a station equipment may
         be easily and rapidly opened and closed; as, a telegraph
         key.
         [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     13. any device for closing or opening an electric circuit,
         especially as part of a keyboard, as that used at a
         computer terminal or teletype terminal.
         [PJC]
  
     14. A simplified version or analysis which accompanies
         something as a clue to its explanation, a book or table
         containing the solutions to problems, ciphers,
         allegories, or the like; or (Biol.) a table or synopsis
         of conspicuous distinguishing characters of members of a
         taxonomic group.
         [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     15. (Computers) A word or other combination of symbols which
         serves as an index identifying and pointing to a
         particular record, file, or location which can be
         retrieved and displayed by a computer program; as, a
         database using multi-word keys. When the key is a word,
         it is also called a {keyword}.
         [PJC]
  
     {Key bed}. Same as {Key seat}.
  
     {Key bolt}, a bolt which has a mortise near the end, and is
        secured by a cotter or wedge instead of a nut.
  
     {Key bugle}. See {Kent bugle}.
  
     {Key of a position} or {Key of a country.} (Mil.) See {Key},
        4.
  
     {Key seat} (Mach.), a bed or groove to receive a key which
        prevents one part from turning on the other.
  
     {Key way}, a channel for a key, in the hole of a piece which
        is keyed to a shaft; an internal key seat; -- called also
        {key seat}.
  
     {Key wrench} (Mach.), an adjustable wrench in which the
        movable jaw is made fast by a key.
  
     {Power of the keys} (Eccl.), the authority claimed by the
        ministry in some Christian churches to administer the
        discipline of the church, and to grant or withhold its
        privileges; -- so called from the declaration of Christ,
        "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven."
        --Matt. xvi. 19.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  keyword \key"word`\, n.
     A word used as an entry point into an index which serves to
     identify files, records, texts, or other data containing the
     keyword or some related word, such as a synonym. It is a type
     of key[15]; as, a boolean combination of keywords is more
     effective for information retrieval than a single key[15].
     [PJC]

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  keyword
       
          1. One of a fixed set of symbols built into the syntax of a
          language.  Typical keywords would be if, then, else, print,
          goto, while, switch.  There are usually restrictions about
          reusing keywords as names for user-defined objects such as
          variables or procedures.  Languages vary as to what is
          provided as a keyword and what is a library routine, for
          example some languages provide keywords for input/output
          operations whereas in others these are library routines.
       
          2. A small set of words designed to convey the subject of a
          technical article.  Some publications specify a fixed set of
          keywords from which those for a particular article should be
          chosen.