n. An instrument for fastening or opening a lock, fitted to its wards, and adapted, on being inserted and turned or pushed in the keyhole, to push a bolt one way or the other, or to raise a catch or latch; in certain complicated locks, a portable appliance which on being inserted in the proper place in the lock lifts tumblers or in some other way allows the bolt to be shot without itself exercising force upon it.n. Hence Something regarded as analogous to a key, in being a means of opening or making clear what is closed or obscure; especially, that by means of which (often by means of which alone) some difficulty can be overcome, some obstacle removed, some end attained, something unintelligible explained, etc: as, the key to knowledge; Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean; a key to the solution of an algebraic problem; a key to an algebra or arithmetic (a book giving the solution of mathematical problems proposed as exercises in such text-books); the key to a cipher.n. In mech.: A hand-tool for controlling a valve, moving a nut, etc., which is independent of the part to be moved. In this sense a spanner, wrenc'h, bedstead-wrench, etc., are keys.n. Any device for wedging up or locking together different parts, or for jamming or binding them to prevent vibration or slipping.n. A bolt which secures the cap-square to the cheek of a gun-carriage. See cut under guncarriage.n. In masonry, the central stone of an arch or vault, usually the uppermost stone; the keystone (although in a true arch no one of the voussoirs is more important to the stability of the structure than any other). See cut under arch, In carpentry: A piece inserted in the back of a board to prevent warping. The last board in a series of floor-boards, tapering in shape, and serving when driven home to hold the others in place. The roughing on the under side of a veneer, designed to assist it in holding the glue.n. In bookbinding, one of a series of small tools used by the sewer of a book to keep the bands in place when the sections of the book are in a sewing-bench. They are made of metal or hard wood, shaped like a yoke, or the letter U, and of the size 1 by 3 inches.n. A joint to assist in supporting a train of rods and the tools in a tube-well.n. A wrench or lever for tuning stringed instruments of fixed intonation, like the pianoforte and the harp; a tuning-wrench or tuning-hammer.n. The surplus mortar or plaster that passes between the laths, and serves to hold the plastering in position.n. A hollow cut in the back of a tile or terra-cotta ornament, or on a wall, to hold mortar or cement.n. In musical instruments: In instruments especially of the wood wind group, a lever and valve operated by the player's finger, and designed either to open or to close a hole or vent in the side of the tube, so as to alter the pitch of the tone by altering the length of the vibrating air-column within.n. In instruments with a keyboard, like the organ and the pianoforte, one of the levers which are depressed in the act of playing.n. A part pressed by the finger to control the action of a typewriter or other similar machine, in the manner of a musical keyed instrument.n. Any one of the various forms of circuitcloser used in electrical experiments and in the practical applications of electricity. See telegraph.n. In music: In musical theory, the sum of relations, melodic and harmonic, which exist between the tones of an ideal scale, major or minor, and in which its unity and Individuality are contained; tonality.n. In musical theory and notation, the tonality centering in a given tone, or the several tones taken collectively, of a given scale, major or minor.n. (The crosses mark the degree belonging to the key-note.) The sharps and the flats in such signatures are counted from left to right; in sharp signatures the position of the key-note is always one degree above the last sharp, while in flat signatures it is always on the same degree with the last flat but one. This provides a rule for finding the keynote from each signature except those of the keys of C and of F. The key-notes of the sharp keys, taken in direct order, are distant from one another either by a fifth upward or a fourth downward, as are the key-notes of the fiat keys, taken in inverse order. These signatures are also used for minor keys, the key-notes of such keys being iu each case two degrees below the key-notes as given for major keys. The major and minor keys that use the same signature are termed relatives of each other. See relative. (See circle of keys, under circle.) The entire system of keys as described above is conditioned upon the keyboard of the organ and the pianoforte, and therefore is essentially arbitrary. It has no basis in the phenomena of sound or the necessities of music as an art. Its complexity is due historically to the iuadequate medieval theory of music, and secondarily to the arbitrary instrumental mechanism and the notation that grew out of that theory. Of the many attempts to improve or replace the system, the tonic sol-fa notation has been the most successful. See notation, and tonic sol-fa (under tonic).n. In musical notation, a sign at the head of a staff indicating the key as above defined.n. Scale of intensity; degree of force; pitch; elevation.n. A dry winged fruit like that of maple, ash, elm, etc.; a samara. See cut under Acer.n. A rudder; a helm.n. A key (tonality) which on the keyboard involves the use of one or more black or chromatic keys (digitals), and on the staff necessitates a signature of one or more sharps or flats.n. The major key (tonality) of C: so called because on the keyboard it involves the use of only white digitals, or naturals.To fasten with a key, or with a wedge-shaped piece of wood or metal; fasten or secure firmly.To regulate the tone of by the use of a key, or to set to a key or pitch in any way, as a musical instrument: as, to key up a violin.n. A wharf. See quay.n. A low island near the coast: used especially on the coasts of regions where Spanish is or formerly was spoken: as, the Florida keys.n. See Keys.n. In printing, the circular ratchet that closes or uncloses patent, quoins of iron.n. A wooden pin for fastening hides together while they are being limed.