key

«key» in Mova's school dictionary: a small metal piece used to open and lock a lock — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (key, keys); adjective (key — most important); verb (key in, keys, keyed, keying)

meaning for a pupil

1) A key is a small metal piece used to open and lock a lock. tree →

2) A key is a button on a keyboard, or one of the black and white bars on a piano. A piano has 88 keys. tree →

3) The key of a map or graph tells what each picture, colour or sign means. tree →

4) The key to something is the thing that helps you solve or understand it. tree →

5) Key also means most important: a key word, a key fact. tree →

6) To key in is to type. tree →

7) Under lock and key means locked away safely. tree →

sense in the lessons

In maths: keys counted on a ring or a keyboard; a key on a picture graph tells how many each picture stands for: count of pictures × value of each. In geography: a map key explains symbols. In music: a song is in a key, like C major. In reading: key words carry the main meaning. Phrases: key ring, door key, answer key, the key to, key word, key in, lock and key.

examples

• She has 6 keys on her key ring. tree →
• A piano has 88 keys. tree →
• In the key, each star stands for 5 books. tree →
• He typed 40 keys a minute. tree →
• I lost the key to the back door. tree →
• Look at the map key to find the campsite. tree →
• Practice is the key to good spelling. tree →
• Underline the key words in the problem. tree →
• Press the Enter key to start the game. tree →
• Put the crack-brain under lock and key!" tree →

note

Homophone: «quay» (a place where boats stop) sounds the same. Countable: a key, keys. On a graph the key gives a rate: count of pictures × value of each. Trap: if each picture means 5, then 4 pictures means 20, not 4. Trap: a half picture means half the value.

In the corpora

• She forgot the key on the table; the glass leg is too slippery to climb, so she cries.
• The old gaoler's rusty key creaks, the door clangs — and Toad is a helpless prisoner.
• A word wall in class shows key words so children can check them; using it is how spellings get learned, not cheating.
• Scanning means looking quickly through a text for a key word or number.
• A glossary is a list of key words and their meanings, usually at the back of a non-fiction book.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «key» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.