Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- Cold as a key; icy; lifeless; inanimate.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Formerly, a proverbial expression. Cold as a metallic key; lifeless.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective obsolete
Cold as ametallic key ;lifeless .
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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Church-Papists, of prophane Atheists, key-cold worldlings, and lukewarme professors.
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That reason hath no place in you, quoth Leonela, forasmuch as love, according as some have said of it, doth sometimes fly, other times it goes; it runs with this man, and goes leisurely with the other; it makes some key-cold, and inflames others; some it wounds, and some it kills; it begins the career of his desires in an instant, and in the very same it concludes it likewise.
The Fourth Book. VII. Wherein Is Prosecuted the History of the Curious-Impertinent 1909
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'Too late, Mr. Cregeen, too late,' says he, and the word was scarce out of his mouth when he was key-cold in a minute, and gone into the night of all flesh that's lost.
The Manxman A Novel - 1895 Hall Caine 1892
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Secondly, There is a partial zeal: in one thing, fire hot -- in another key-cold; zealous in this thing, and yet careless in another.
The Almost Christian Discovered; or, the False Professor Tried and Cast. 1629-1699 1856
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Till I be key-cold dead, I shall never forget my first sight of him in that dreadful place -- "and then she described again her overwhelming emotions when she perceived he was alike apathetic to his pauper condition, and to her love and presence.
The Maid of Maiden Lane Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr 1875
hernesheir commented on the word key-cold
Overnight lows in the low 20's have left me key-cold, here in Florida of all places.
December 16, 2010
yarb commented on the word key-cold
Wuh?
December 16, 2010
ruzuzu commented on the word key-cold
Florida... keys....
Makes sense to me!
December 17, 2010
yarb commented on the word key-cold
The Florida Keys are cold?
December 17, 2010
hernesheir commented on the word key-cold
I'm far north of the Keys - overnight lows in the 20's the past few nights, but warmer for the next few days. I've saved my winter vegetables from freezing by laying strings of Christmas lights among the rows and tenting with bedsheets and tarpaulins.
December 17, 2010
ruzuzu commented on the word key-cold
Is there a Florida list yet? If not, I nominate hernesheir to start one.
December 17, 2010
yarb commented on the word key-cold
Brr, that is quite cold. But why would you be key-cold, any more than anyone is their-area-cold? Is there some pun here that I'm missing?
Sorry for being such a bore.
December 17, 2010
hernesheir commented on the word key-cold
Ahem! key-cold is listed as an adjective in GNU Webster's 1913 with this definition: "Cold as a metallic key; lifeless."
The pun and perhaps the ensuing confusion stems from ruzuzu's mention of the Florida Keys?
December 17, 2010
yarb commented on the word key-cold
Gah! Thanks. Thought I'd checked the definitions yesterday but obvs not.
December 17, 2010
ruzuzu commented on the word key-cold
Mwohahaha!
December 17, 2010
reesetee commented on the word key-cold
Ruzuzu, somewhere around here is a list of state lists. I'll rummage around, and if I can't find it, maybe I'll make one. :-) Meantime, enjoy this one and this one.
December 21, 2010
Gammerstang commented on the word key-cold
(adjective) - (1) As cold as a key, on account of the coldness of the metal of which it is composed; a key was anciently employed to stop any slight bleeding. The epithet is common to many old writers.
--Rev. Alexander Dyce's Glossary to the Works of Shakespeare, 1902
(2) Lifeless.
--Noah Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828
January 19, 2018