To have the key of the street, verb. phr. (common).—To be locked out of
doors; to have no home.
1836. Dickens, Pickwick, xlvii. ‘There,’ said Lowten, ‘it’s too
late now. You can’t get in to-night, you’ve got the key of the
street, my friend.’ ‘Never mind me,’ replied Job. ‘I can sleep
anywhere.’
1843. W. T. Moncrieff, The Scamps of London, i. 1. Char. Left your
lodgings—and why, sir? Bob. Why?—why because the chimney smoked, my
adorable; and then the paper of my rooms wasn’t fashionable
enough—(aside)—and the landlady gave me the key of the street.
1888. Daily Telegraph, 28 Dec. Society would, perhaps, be startled
and saddened to know how numerous those were upon the great holiday
who had the key of the street for home, and a crust of bread by way
of Christmas banquet.
Keyhole, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. See Key. For synonyms see
Monosyllable.
To be all keyhole (or keyholed), verb. phr. (common).—To be drunk. For
synonyms see Drinks and Screwed.
Keyhole-whistler, subs. (tramps’).—A night’s lodger in a barn or
outhouse; a skipperbird (q.v.).
1851–61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. etc. i. 339. Keyhole whistlers, the
skipper-birds are sometimes called, but they’re regular travellers.
Keystone of Love, subs. phr. (venery).—The female pudendum. For
synonyms see Monosyllable.
Keystone State, subs. phr. (American).—Pennsylvania. [When the names of
the original Thirteen States were arranged archwise in their natural
geographical order, Pennsylvania occupied the central position].
Kibosh, subs. (common).—1. Nonsense; anything worthless. Also
Kiboshery.
1885. Punch, Jan. 3, p. 4. Still I wish you a ’Appy New Year, if
you care for the kibosh, old chappie.