kiff, for kith, relationship, standing in relationship, Middleton, A Chaste Maid, iv. 1 (Tim); Tusser, Husbandry, § 10. 30.
kill, a kiln. Bible, Jer. xliii. 9; Nahum, iii. 14 (ed. 1611). A common prov. form in many parts of England—the north country, Essex, and Somerset, see EDD. (s.v. Kiln, sb.1). Hence kill-hole, Merry Wives, iv. 2. 59 (ed. 1623). Cp. [kell] (2).
kill-cow, a murderous fellow, butcher; a great fighter. Fletcher, Lover’s Progress, iii. 3 (Malfort); perhaps with reference to the story of Guy of Warwick. See Nares.
kimbo, resembling arms set a-kimbo, Dryden, tr. of Virgil; Pastorals, iii. 67; on kimbow, Wycherley, Plain Dealer, ii (Novel).
kim-kam, crooked, perverse. Stanyhurst, tr. of Virgil, Aeneid ii, 44. Cp. the Shropshire saying, ‘Let’s a none o’ your kim-kam ways’ (EDD.). See [kam].
kimnel, a tub used for brewing, kneading, or salting meat. Beaumont and Fl., Coxcomb, iv. 7 (Alexander); ‘A kimnel, cadus salsamentarius’, Coles, Dict., 1679; ‘kymnell, quevette’, Palsgrave. ME. kymnelle, ‘amula’ (Cath. Angl.).
kinchin mort, a very young female child (Cant). Middleton, Roaring Girl, v. 1 (Trapdoor). Kinchin is perhaps a corrupt form of G. kindchen, little child. See [mort] (2).
kinderkind, kilderkin, small barrel. Peele, Edw. I (ed. Dyce, p. 383). Du. kindekin, ‘the eighth part of a vat’ (Kilian). See NED. (s.v. Kilderkin), and Dict.
kindle, to give birth to young, bring forth. As You Like It, iii. 2. 358; ‘I kyndyll, as a she-hare or cony dothe’, Palsgrave. Very common in prov. use (EDD.). ME. hyndlyn, or brynge forthe yonge kyndelyngys, ‘feto’ (Prompt.).
kindless, unnatural. Hamlet, ii. 2. 609; Poole, David (ed. Dyce, p. 466).