keyhole

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key·hole

 (kē′hōl′)
n.
1. The hole in a lock into which a key fits.
2. Basketball The key.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

keyhole

(ˈkiːˌhəʊl)
n
1. (Mechanical Engineering) an aperture in a door or a lock case through which a key may be passed to engage the lock mechanism
2. any small aperture resembling a keyhole in shape or function
3. (General Engineering) a transient column of vapour or plasma formed during the welding or cutting of materials, using high energy beams, such as lasers
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

key•hole

(ˈkiˌhoʊl)

n.
1. a hole for inserting a key in a lock.
2. the area at each end of a basketball court that is bounded by two lines extending from the end line parallel to and equidistant from the sidelines and terminating in a circle around the foul line.
adj.
3. extremely private or intimate; revealing.
4. snooping and intrusive: a keyhole investigator.
[1585–95]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.keyhole - the hole where a key is insertedkeyhole - the hole where a key is inserted  
hole - an opening deliberately made in or through something
lock - a fastener fitted to a door or drawer to keep it firmly closed
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
ثَقْب القِفْل
nøglehul
avaimenreikä
kulcslyuk
skráargat
鍵穴
kľúčová dierka
ključavnična luknja
anahtar deliği

keyhole

[ˈkiːhəʊl]
A. Nojo m de la cerradura
B. CPD keyhole surgery Ncirugía f mínimamente invasiva
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

keyhole

[ˈkiːhəʊl] ntrou m de la serrurekeyhole surgery nchirurgie f endoscopique
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

keyhole

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

keyhole

[ˈkiːˌhəʊl] nbuco della serratura
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

key

(kiː) noun
1. an instrument or tool by which something (eg a lock or a nut) is turned. Have you the key for this door?
2. in musical instruments, one of the small parts pressed to sound the notes. piano keys.
3. in a typewriter, calculator etc, one of the parts which one presses to cause a letter etc to be printed, displayed etc.
4. the scale in which a piece of music is set. What key are you singing in?; the key of F.
5. something that explains a mystery or gives an answer to a mystery, a code etc. the key to the whole problem.
6. in a map etc, a table explaining the symbols etc used in it.
adjective
most important. key industries; He is a key man in the firm.
ˈkeyboard noun
1. the keys in a piano, typewriter etc arranged along or on a flat board. The pianist sat down at the keyboard and began to play; A computer keyboard looks like that of a typewriter; (also adjective) harpsichords and other early keyboard instruments.
2. any keyboard (musical) instrument.
ˈkeyhole noun
the hole in which a key of a door etc is placed. The child looked through the keyhole to see if his teacher was still with his parents.
keyhole surgery noun
surgery done through a very small cut in the body.
ˈkeynote noun
1. the chief note in a musical key.
2. the chief point or theme (of a lecture etc).
keyed up
excited; tense.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
Chronicler's are privileged to enter where they list, to come and go through keyholes, to ride upon the wind, to overcome, in their soarings up and down, all obstacles of distance, time, and place.
So he sat at the feet of one awhile, and then he sat awhile at the feet of the other, and at last he applied his ear to the keyhole of the casket containing the Ashes of Madame Blavatsky.
There was no immediate answer, but presently I heard my name again, in a tone so very mysterious and awful, that I think I should have gone into a fit, if it had not occurred to me that it must have come through the keyhole.
The trunk, a heavy one with steel bands round it, but no lock or keyhole, was carried in by two men.
'I can't see anything but the curtain of the bed,' said Brass, applying his eye to the keyhole of the door.
With this view he gave a kick at the outside, by way of prelude; and, then, applying his mouth to the keyhole, said, in a deep and impressive tone:
When Mr Allworthy had retired to his study with Jenny Jones, as hath been seen, Mrs Bridget, with the good housekeeper, had betaken themselves to a post next adjoining to the said study; whence, through the conveyance of a keyhole, they sucked in at their ears the instructive lecture delivered by Mr Allworthy, together with the answers of Jenny, and indeed every other particular which passed in the last chapter.
Ever so often calling names in through a person's keyhole, and imitating a person's back and legs.
In fact, the steward would almost invariably come up to me, sitting in the captain's chair at the head of the table, to say in a grave murmur, "The captain asks for one more slice of meat and two potatoes." We, his officers, could hear him moving about in his berth, or lightly snoring, or fetching deep sighs, or splashing and blowing in his bath-room; and we made our reports to him through the keyhole, as it were.
The word blew to me through the keyhole and said "Come!" The door sprang subtlely open unto me, and said "Go!"
She hurried down, followed by Agatha, Gertrude, and some of the braver students, to the hall, where they found a few shivering servants watching the housekeeper, who was at the keyhole of the house door, querulously asking who was there.
Firkin and Miss Briggs, who happened by chance to be at the parlour door soon after the Baronet and Rebecca entered the apartment, had also seen accidentally, through the keyhole, the old gentleman prostrate before the governess, and had heard the generous proposal which he made her.