“Think, on the KIDDYISH spree we had on such a day.”
Randall’s Diary, 1820.
Kidment, humbug, coarse chaff or jocularity.
Kidnapper, originally one who stole children. Now applied without reference to the age or sex of those stolen. From “kid,” a child, and “nab” (corrupted to “nap”), to steal, or seize.
Kidney, “of that KIDNEY,” of such a stamp; “strange KIDNEY,” odd humour; “two of a KIDNEY,” two persons of a sort, or as like as two peas, i.e., resembling each other like two kidneys in a bunch.—Old. “Attempt to put their hair out of KIDNEY.”—Terræ Filius, 1763.
Kid-on, to entice or incite a person to the perpetration of an act.
Kidsman, one who trains boys to thieve and pick pockets successfully.
Kilkenny cat, a popular simile for a voracious or desperate animal or person, from the story of the two cats in that county, who are said to have fought and bitten each other until a small portion of the tail of one of them alone remained.
Killing, bewitching, fascinating. The term is akin to the phrase “dressing to death.”
Kilt, an Irishism for badly beaten, but by no means equivalent with killed.
Kimbo, or A-KIMBO, holding the arms in a bent position from the body, and resting the hands upon the hips, in a bullying attitude. Said to be from A SCHIMBO, bandy-legged, crooked, Italian; but more probably from KIMBAW, the old cant for beating or bullying. See Grose. Celtic, CAM, crooked.