King

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

King, n. 

 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.  [1913 Webster]

King, n. [AS. cyng, cyning; akin to OS. kuning, D. koning, OHG. kuning, G. könig, Icel. konungr, Sw. konung, Dan. konge; formed with a patronymic ending, and fr. the root of E. kin; cf. Icel. konr a man of noble birth. Kin.].

•  A chief ruler; a sovereign; one invested with supreme authority over a nation, country, or tribe, usually by hereditary succession; a monarch; a prince.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

  "Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are rebels from principle."  [1913 Webster]

  "There was a State without king or nobles."  [1913 Webster]

  "But yonder comes the powerful King of Day,
  Rejoicing in the east"  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  A playing card having the picture of a king{1}; as, the king of diamonds.  [1913 Webster]
•  The chief piece in the game of chess.  [1913 Webster]
•  A crowned man in the game of draughts.  [1913 Webster]
•  The title of two historical books in the Old Testament.  [1913 Webster]

  " King is often used adjectively, or in combination, to denote preëminence or superiority in some particular; as, kingbird; king crow; king vulture."  [1913 Webster]

Apostolic king. See Apostolic. -- King-at-arms, or King-of-arms, the chief heraldic officer of a country. In England the king-at-arms was formerly of great authority. His business is to direct the heralds, preside at their chapters, and have the jurisdiction of armory. There are three principal kings-at-arms, viz., Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy. The latter (literally north roy or north king) officiates north of the Trent. -- King auk (Zoöl.), the little auk or sea dove. -- King bird of paradise. (Zoöl.), See Bird of paradise. -- King card, in whist, the best unplayed card of each suit; thus, if the ace and king of a suit have been played, the queen is the king card of the suit. -- King Cole , a legendary king of Britain, who is said to have reigned in the third century. -- King conch (Zoöl.), a large and handsome univalve shell (Cassis cameo), found in the West Indies. It is used for making cameos. See Helmet shell, under Helmet. -- King Cotton, a popular personification of the great staple production of the southern United States. -- King crab. (Zoöl.) (a) The limulus or horseshoe crab. See Limulus. (b) The large European spider crab or thornback (Maia squinado). (c) A large crab of the northern Pacific (Paralithodes camtshatica), especially abundant on the coasts of Alaska and Japan, and popular as a food; called also Alaskan king crab. -- King crow. (Zoöl.) (a) A black drongo shrike (Buchanga atra) of India; -- so called because, while breeding, they attack and drive away hawks, crows, and other large birds. (b) The Dicrurus macrocercus of India, a crested bird with a long, forked tail. Its color is black, with green and blue reflections. Called also devil bird. -- King duck (Zoöl.), a large and handsome eider duck (Somateria spectabilis), inhabiting the arctic regions of both continents. -- King eagle (Zoöl.), an eagle (Aquila heliaca) found in Asia and Southeastern Europe. It is about as large as the golden eagle. Some writers believe it to be the imperial eagle of Rome. -- King hake (Zoöl.), an American hake (Phycis regius), found in deep water along the Atlantic coast. -- King monkey (Zoöl.), an African monkey (Colobus polycomus), inhabiting Sierra Leone. -- King mullet (Zoöl.), a West Indian red mullet (Upeneus maculatus); -- so called on account of its great beauty. Called also goldfish. -- King of terrors, death. -- King parrakeet (Zoöl.), a handsome Australian parrakeet (Platycercys scapulatus), often kept in a cage. Its prevailing color is bright red, with the back and wings bright green, the rump blue, and tail black. -- King penguin (Zoöl.), any large species of penguin of the genus Aptenodytes; esp., Aptenodytes longirostris, of the Falkland Islands and Kerguelen Land, and Aptenodytes Patagonica, of Patagonia. -- King rail (Zoöl.), a small American rail (Rallus elegans), living in fresh-water marshes. The upper parts are fulvous brown, striped with black; the breast is deep cinnamon color. -- King salmon (Zoöl.), the quinnat. See Quinnat. -- King's counsel, or Queen's counsel (Eng. Law), barristers learned in the law, who have been called within the bar, and selected to be the king's or queen's counsel. They answer in some measure to the advocates of the revenue (advocati fisci) among the Romans. They can not be employed against the crown without special license. Wharton's Law Dict. -- King's cushion, a temporary seat made by two persons crossing their hands. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. -- The king's English, correct or current language of good speakers; pure English. Shak. -- King's evidence or Queen's evidence, testimony in favor of the Crown by a witness who confesses his guilt as an accomplice. See under Evidence. [Eng.] -- King's evil, scrofula; -- so called because formerly supposed to be healed by the touch of a king. -- King snake (Zoöl.), a large, nearly black, harmless snake (Ophiobolus getulus) of the Southern United States; -- so called because it kills and eats other kinds of snakes, including even the rattlesnake. -- King's spear (Bot.), the white asphodel (Asphodelus albus). -- King's yellow, a yellow pigment, consisting essentially of sulphide and oxide of arsenic; -- called also yellow orpiment. -- King tody (Zoöl.), a small fly-catching bird (Eurylaimus serilophus) of tropical America. The head is adorned with a large, spreading, fan-shaped crest, which is bright red, edged with black. -- King vulture (Zoöl.), a large species of vulture (Sarcorhamphus papa), ranging from Mexico to Paraguay, The general color is white. The wings and tail are black, and the naked carunculated head and the neck are briliantly colored with scarlet, yellow, orange, and blue. So called because it drives away other vultures while feeding. -- King wood, a wood from Brazil, called also violet wood, beautifully streaked in violet tints, used in turning and small cabinetwork. The tree is probably a species of Dalbergia. See Jacaranda.

King, v. i. 

 To supply with a king; to make a king of; to raise to royalty.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
"Those traitorous captains of Israel who kinged themselves by slaying their masters and reigning in their stead."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

King, n. & v.
--n.
1 (as a title usu. King) a male sovereign, esp. the hereditary ruler of an independent State.
2 a person or thing pre-eminent in a specified field or class (railway king).
3 a large (or the largest) kind of plant, animal, etc. (king penguin).
4 Chess the piece on each side which the opposing side has to checkmate to win.
5 a piece in draughts with extra capacity of moving, made by crowning an ordinary piece that has reached the opponent's baseline.
6 a court-card bearing a representation of a king and usu. ranking next below an ace.
7 (the King) (in the UK) the national anthem when there is a male sovereign.
8 (Kings or Books of Kings) two Old Testament books dealing with history, esp. of the kingdom of Judah.
--v.tr. make (a person) king.

Idiom

King Charles spaniel a spaniel of a small black and tan breed. king cobra a large and venomous hooded Indian snake, Ophiophagus hannah. king-crab
1 = horseshoe crab.
2 US any of various large edible spider crabs. king-fish any of various large fish, esp. the opah or mulloway.
king it
1 play or act the king.
2 (usu. foll. by over) govern, control. King James Bible (or Version) = Authorized Version (see AUTHORIZE). King of Arms Heraldry (in the UK) a chief herald (at the College of Arms: Garter, Clarenceux, and Norroy and Ulster; in Scotland: Lyon). king of beasts the lion. king of birds the eagle. King of the Castle a children's game consisting of trying to displace a rival from a mound.
King of Kings
1 God.
2 the title assumed by many eastern kings. king-post an upright post from the tie-beam of a roof to the apex of a truss. King's Bench see BENCH. king's bishop, knight , etc. Chess (of pieces which exist in pairs) the piece starting on the king's side of the board. King's bounty see BOUNTY. King's colour see COLOUR. King's Counsel see COUNSEL. King's English see ENGLISH. King's evidence see EVIDENCE. king's evil hist. scrofula, formerly held to be curable by the royal touch. King's Guide see GUIDE. King's highway see HIGHWAY. king-size (or -sized) larger than normal; very large. King's Messenger see MESSENGER. king's pawn Chess the pawn in front of the king at the beginning of a game. King's Proctor see PROCTOR. king's ransom a fortune. King's Scout see SCOUT(1). King's speech see SPEECH.

Derivative

kinghood n. kingless adj. kinglike adj. kingly adj. kingliness n. kingship n.

Etymology

OE cyning, cyng f. Gmc

DEVIL DICTIONARY

King

n. A male person commonly known in America as a "crowned head," although he never wears a crown and has usually no head to speak of.

A king, in times long, long gone by,
Said to his lazy jester:
"If I were you and you were I
My moments merrily would fly --
Nor care nor grief to pester."

"The reason, Sire, that you would thrive,"
The fool said -- "if you'll hear it --
Is that of all the fools alive
Who own you for their sovereign, I've
The most forgiving spirit."
Oogum Bem

THESAURUS

King

Muslim rulers, Prinz, ace, anointed king, atheling, banker, baron, best bower, big boss, big businessman, bishop, bower, business leader, businessman, captain of industry, cards, castle, chessman, chief, chieftain, clubs, crown prince, crowned head, czar, deck, deuce, diamonds, director, dummy, dynast, electronics king, emir, emperor, enterpriser, entrepreneur, face cards, financier, flush, full house, grand duke, hand, hearts, heir apparent, heir presumptive, high chief, honcho, imperator, industrialist, jack, joker, khan, king-emperor, kinglet, knave, knez, knight, lead, leading light, left bower, little businessman, lord paramount, luminary, magnate, majesty, man, man of commerce, manager, master spirit, merchant prince, mirza, mogul, monarch, overlord, pack, pair, paramount, pawn, petty king, picture cards, piece, playing cards, potentate, prima donna, prince, prince consort, prince regent, princeling, princes of India, principal, queen, regent, rook, round, royal, royal flush, royal personage, royalty, rubber, ruff, ruler, shahzada, sheikh, sherif, singleton, sovereign, spades, star, straight, superstar, suzerain, tetrarch, top dog, top executive, trey, trick, trump, tycoon

ROGET THESAURUS

King

Master

N master, padrone, lord, lord paramount, commander, commandant, captain, chief, chieftain, sirdar, sachem, sheik, head, senior, governor, ruler, dictator, leader, boss, cockarouse, sagamore, werowance, lord of the ascendant, cock of the walk, cock of the roost, gray mare, mistress, potentate, liege, liege lord, suzerain, sovereign, monarch, autocrat, despot, tyrant, oligarch, crowned head, emperor, king, anointed king, majesty, imperator, protector, president, stadholder, judge, ceasar, kaiser, czar, tsar, sultan, soldan, grand Turk, caliph, imaum, shah, padishah, sophi, mogul, great mogul, khan, lama, tycoon, mikado, tenno, inca, cazique, voivode, landamman, seyyid, Abuna, cacique, czarowitz, grand seignior, prince, duke, archduke, doge, elector, seignior, marland, margrave, rajah, emir, wali, sheik nizam, nawab, empress, queen, sultana, czarina, princess, infanta, duchess, margravine, czarevna, czarita, maharani, rani, rectrix, regent, viceroy, exarch, palatine, khedive, hospodar, beglerbeg, three-tailed bashaw, pasha, bashaw, bey, beg, dey, scherif, tetrarch, satrap, mandarin, subahdar, nabob, maharajah, burgrave, laird, collector, commissioner, deputy commissioner, woon, the authorities, the powers that be, the government, staff, etat major, aga, official, man in office, person in authority, sircar, sirkar, Sublime Porte, marshal, field marshal, marechal, general, generalissimo, commander in chief, seraskier, hetman, lieutenant general, major general, colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain, centurion, skipper, lieutenant, first lieutenant, second lieutenant, sublieutenant, officer, staff officer, aide-de-camp, brigadier, brigade major, adjutant, jemidar, ensign, cornet, cadet, subaltern, noncommissioned officer, warrant officer, sergeant, sergeant major, color sergeant, corporal, corporal major, lance corporal, acting corporal, drum major, captain general, dizdar, knight marshal, naik, pendragon, mayor, mayoralty, prefect, chancellor, archon, provost, magistrate, syndic, alcalde, alcaid, burgomaster, corregidor, seneschal, alderman, councilman, committeeman, councilwoman, warden, constable, portreeve, lord mayor, officer, dewan, fonctionnaire, admiral, admiralty, rear admiral, vice admiral, port admiral, commodore, captain, commander, lieutenant, ensign, skipper, mate, master, officer of the day, OD, navarch, da locum melioribus, der Furst ist der erste Diener seines Staats, the prince is the first servant of his state, lord of thy presence and no land beside.

Amusement

N amusement, entertainment, recreation, fun, game, fun and games, diversion, divertissement, reaction, solace, pastime, passetemps, sport, labor of love, pleasure, relaxation, leisure, fun, frolic, merriment, jollity, joviality, jovialness, heyday, laughter, jocosity, jocoseness, drollery, buffoonery, tomfoolery, mummery, pleasantry, wit, quip, quirk, giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, crow, cheer, chuckle, shout, horse laugh, belly laugh, hearty laugh, guffaw, burst of laughter, fit of laughter, shout of laughter, roar of laughter, peal of laughter, cachinnation, Kentish fire, tiger, play, game, game at romps, gambol, romp, prank, antic, rig, lark, spree, skylarking, vagary, monkey trick, gambade, fredaine, escapade, echappee, bout, espieglerie, practical joke, dance, hop, reel, rigadoon, saraband, hornpipe, bolero, ballroom dance, minuet, waltz, polka, fox trot, tango, samba, rhumba, twist, stroll, hustle, cha-cha, fandango, cancan, bayadere, breakdown, cake-walk, cornwallis, break dancing, nautch-girl, shindig, skirtdance, stag dance, Virginia reel, square dance, galop, galopade, jig, Irish jig, fling, strathspey, allemande, gavot, gavotte, tarantella, mazurka, morisco, morris dance, quadrille, country dance, folk dance, cotillon, Sir Roger de Coverley, ballet, ball, bal, bal masque, bal costume, masquerade, Terpsichore, festivity, merrymaking, party, blowout, hullabaloo, hoedown, bat, bum, bust, clambake, donation party, fish fry, jamboree, kantikoy, nautch, randy, squantum, tear, Turnerfest, yule log, fete, festival, gala, ridotto, revels, revelry, reveling, carnival, brawl, saturnalia, high jinks, feast, banquet, regale, symposium, wassail, carouse, carousal, jollification, junket, wake, Irish wake, picnic, fete champetre, regatta, field day, treat, round of pleasures, dissipation, a short life and a merry one, racketing, holiday making, rejoicing, jubilee, bonfire, fireworks, feu-de-joie, firecracker, holiday, gala day, red letter day, play day, high days and holidays, high holiday, Bank holiday, May day, Derby day, Saint Monday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Bairam, wayz-goos, bean feast, Arbor Day, Declaration Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day, Mardi gras, mi-careme, feria, fiesta, place of amusement, theater, hall, concert room, ballroom, assemblyroom, music hall, park, plaisance, national park, national forest, state park, county park, city park, vest-pocket park, public park (public), arbor, garden, pleasure ground, playground, cricketground, croquet ground, archery ground, hunting ground, tennis court, racket court, bowling alley, green alley, croquet lawn, rink, glaciarum, skating rink, roundabout, merry-go-round, swing, montagne Russe, game of chance, game of skill, athletic sports, gymnastics, archery, rifle shooting, tournament, pugilism, sports, horse racing, the turf, aquatics, skating, sliding, cricket, tennis, lawn tennis, hockey, football, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, rackets, fives, trap bat and ball, battledore and shuttlecock, la grace, pall- mall, tipcat, croquet, golf, curling, pallone, polo, water polo, tent pegging, tilting at the ring, quintain, greasy pole, quoits, horseshoes, discus, rounders, lacrosse, tobogganing, water polo, knurr and spell, leapfrog, hop skip and jump, mother may I, French and English, tug of war, blindman's bluff, hunt the slopper, hide and seek, kiss in the ring, snapdragon, cross questions and crooked answers, crisscross, hopscotch, jacks, jackstones, marbles, mumblety-peg, mumble-the-peg, pushball, shinney, shinny, tag, billiards, pool, pingpong, pyramids, bagatelle, bowls, skittles, ninepins, kain, American bowls, tenpins, tivoli, cards, card games, whist, rubber, round game, loo, cribbage, besique, euchre, drole, ecarte, picquet, allfours, quadrille, omber, reverse, Pope Joan, commit, boston, boaston, blackjack, twenty- one, vingtun, quinze, thirty-one, put, speculation, connections, brag, cassino, lottery, commerce, snip-snap-snoren, lift smoke, blind hookey, Polish bank, Earl of Coventry, Napoleon, patience, pairs, banker, blind poker, draw poker, straight poker, stud poker, bluff, bridge, bridge whist, lotto, monte, three-card monte, nap, penny-ante, poker, reversis, squeezers, old maid, fright, beggar-my- neighbor, baccarat, ace, king, queen, knave, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, trey, deuce, joker, trump, wild card, spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds, major suit, minor suit, bower, right bower, left bower, dummy, jackpot, deck, pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full-house, four of a kind, royal flush, misere chess, draughts, checkers, checquers, backgammon, dominos, merelles, nine men's morris, go bang, solitaire, game of fox and goose, monopoly, loto, scrabble, scribbage, boggle, crossword puzzle, hangman, morra, gambling, toy, plaything, bauble, doll, teetotum, knickknack, magic lantern, peep show, puppet show, raree show, gallanty show, toy shop, quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks and wreathed smiles, entertainer, showman, showgirl, dancer, tap dancer, song-and-dance man, vaudeville act, singer, musician, sportsman, gamester, reveler, master of ceremonies, master of revels, pompom girl, arbiter elegantiarum, arbiter bibendi, archer, fan, toxophilite, turfman, amusing, entertaining, diverting, recreational, recreative, lusory, pleasant, laughable, witty, fun, festive, festal, jovial, jolly, jocund, roguish, rompish, playful, playful as a kitten, sportive, ludibrious, funny, very funny, hilarious, uproarious, side-splitting, amused, pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw, laughing, risible, ready to burst, ready to split, ready to die with laughter, convulsed with laughter, rolling in the aisles, on the light fantastic toe, at play, in sport, Int, vive la bagatelle!, vogue la galere!, deus nobis haec otia fecit, dum vivimus vivamus, dulce est desipere in loco, (every room) hath blazed with lights and brayed wi, misce stullitiam consiliis brevem.

Nobility

N nobility, rank, condition, distinction, optimacy, blood, pur sang, birth, high descent, order, quality, gentility, blue blood of Castile, ancien regime, high life, haute monde, upper classes, upper ten thousand, the four hundred, elite, aristocracy, great folks, fashionable world, peer, peerage, house of lords, house of peers, lords, lords temporal and spiritual, noblesse, noble, nobleman, lord, lordling, grandee, magnifico, hidalgo, daimio, daimyo, samurai, shizoku, don, donship, aristocrat, swell, three- tailed bashaw, gentleman, squire, squireen, patrician, laureate, gentry, gentlefolk, squirarchy, better sort magnates, primates, optimates, pantisocracy, king, atheling, prince, duke, marquis, marquisate, earl, viscount, baron, thane, banneret, baronet, baronetcy, knight, knighthood, count, armiger, laird, signior, seignior, esquire, boyar, margrave, vavasour, emir, ameer, scherif, sharif, effendi, wali, sahib, chevalier, maharaja, nawab, palsgrave, pasha, rajah, waldgrave, princess, begum, duchess, marchioness, countess, lady, dame, memsahib, Do$a, maharani, rani, personage of distinction, man of distinction, personage of rank, man of rank, personage of mark, man of mark, notables, notabilities, celebrity, bigwig, magnate, great man, star, superstar, big bug, big gun, great gun, gilded rooster, magni nominis umbra, every inch a king, noble, exalted, of rank, princely, titled, patrician, aristocratic, high-, well-born, of gentle blood, genteel, comme il faut, gentlemanlike, courtly, highly respectable, in high quarters, Adel sitzt im Gemuthe nicht im Gebluete, adelig und edel sind zweierlei, noblesse oblige.