key

英 [kiː]
  • n. (打字机等的)键;关键;钥匙
  • vt. 键入;锁上;调节…的音调;提供线索
  • vi. 使用钥匙
  • adj. 关键的
  • n. (Key)人名;(英)基;(德、荷、瑞典)凯

基本词汇中高频词CET6考研TEM4CET4

词态变化


复数: keys;第三人称单数: keys;过去式: keyed;过去分词: keyed;现在分词: keying;

中文词源


key 钥匙,琴键,关键

来自古英语caeg,钥匙,可能来自Proto-Germanic*ki,劈开,分开,来自PIE*ke,使锋利,磨,词源同cone,hone.后用于指钥匙,引申词义琴键,键盘,比喻义关键,核心。

英英释意


1. metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
2. something crucial for explaining;
"the key to development is economic integration"
3. pitch of the voice;
"he spoke in a low key"
4. any of 24 major or minor diatonic scales that provide the tonal framework for a piece of music
5. a kilogram of a narcotic drug;
"they were carrying two keys of heroin"
6. a winged often one-seed indehiscent fruit as of the ash or elm or maple
7. a coral reef off the southern coast of Florida
8. (basketball) a space (including the foul line) in front of the basket at each end of a basketball court; usually painted a different color from the rest of the court;
"he hit a jump shot from the top of the key"
"he dominates play in the paint"
9. a list of answers to a test;
"some students had stolen the key to the final exam"
10. a list of words or phrases that explain symbols or abbreviations
11. a generic term for any device whose possession entitles the holder to a means of access;
"a safe-deposit box usually requires two keys to open it"
12. mechanical device used to wind another device that is driven by a spring (as a clock)
13. the central building block at the top of an arch or vault
14. a lever that actuates a mechanism when depressed

英文词源


key
key: [OE] The Old English ancestor of key was cǣg. This produced a modern English word which to begin with was pronounced to rhyme with bay, and its present-day pronunciation, rhyming with bee, did not come to the fore until the 18th century. No one knows where the word originally came from; it has no living relatives in other Germanic languages.
key (n.1)
"metal piece that works a lock," from Old English cæg "key," of unknown origin, with no certain cognates other than Old Frisian kei. Perhaps related to Middle Low German keie "lance, spear" on notion of "tool to cleave with," from Proto-Germanic *ki- "to cleaver, split" (cognates: German Keil "wedge," Gothic us-kijans "come forth," said of seed sprouts, keinan "to germinate"). But Liberman writes, "The original meaning of *kaig-jo- was presumably '*pin with a twisted end.' Words with the root *kai- followed by a consonant meaning 'crooked, bent; twisted' are common only in the North Germanic languages." Modern pronunciation is a northern variant predominating from c. 1700; earlier it was often spelled and pronounced kay.

Figurative sense of "that which serves to open or explain" was in Old English; meaning "that which holds together other parts" is from 1520s. As "answer to a test," it is from chess, short for key move, "first move in a solution to a set problem." Musical sense of "tone, note" is 15c., but modern sense of "scale" is 1580s, probably as a translation of Latin clavis or French clef (see clef; also see keynote). Extended c. 1500 to "mechanism on a musical instrument." As a verb meaning "to scratch (a car's paint job) with a key" it is recorded by 1986.
key (n.2)
"low island," 1690s, from Spanish cayo "shoal, reef," from Taino cayo "small island;" spelling influenced by Middle English key "wharf" (c. 1300), from Old French kai "sand bank" (see quay).

考试真题


The key is to remember that there is not just one solution.

出自-2016年12月阅读原文

It has proved to be key to McDonald's business success.

出自-2016年12月阅读原文

Should a woman who possessed a small amount of drugs years ago be permanently unable to be licensed as a nurse?These laws are also counterproductive, since they make it harder for people with criminal records to find housing or land a job, two key factors that reduce backsliding.

出自-2015年12月阅读原文

He tied a metal key and a strip of silk to the kite line.

出自-2015年12月听力原文

Got a smart phone? Never lose your hotel key, or even have to stop at the registration desk again.

出自-2015年12月听力原文

Without social pressures to keep pair-bonds, romantic love plays a key role in maintaining long-term relationships.

出自-2013年6月阅读原文

plays a key role in maintaining long-term relationships

出自-2013年6月阅读原文

What is the key to landing a job according to the author?

出自-2012年12月阅读原文

The key to integrity is consistency- not only setting high personal standards for oneself (honesty, responsibility, respect for others, fairness) but also living up to those standards each and every day.

出自-2011年12月阅读原文

Get key information by reading just once or twice.

出自-2014年6月听力原文

Underline the key words and phrases

出自-2014年6月听力原文

The district manager is the key to the success of the sales representatives in his district.

出自-2010年6月听力原文

According to a new Pew Research Center survey on women and leadership, most Americans find women indistinguishable from men on key leadership traits such as intelligence and capacity for innovation, with many saying they're stronger than men in terms of b

2019年6月四级真题(第二套)阅读 Section C

Although economic research and previous survey findings have shown that career interruptions related to motherhood may make it harder for women to advance in their careers and compete for top executive jobs, relatively few adults in the recent survey poin

2019年6月四级真题(第二套)阅读 Section C

An individual's genetics has a big influence on their height but once you average over whole populations, genetics plays a less key role.

2019年6月四级真题(第二套)阅读 Section C

And good relationships are key to a successful career.

2019年12月四级真题(第二套)听力 Section B

Curiosity, he argues, is the third key factor—and a difficult one to preserve.

2017年12月四级真题(第二套)阅读 Section B

Irrespective of the quality of a school, a child's home life is of key importance.

2018年12月四级真题(第一套)听力 Section C

Its key objective is to place at the centre of recovery efforts measures that would generate high levels of employment and provide basic social protection for the most vulnerable.

2016年6月四级真题(第一套)听力 Section A

Mike Ellicock,chief executive of National Numeracy said we want to challenge this "I can't do maths" attitude that is prevalent in the UK, adding that it was vital that all primary school teachers understand key maths concepts as young children who fail t

2018年12月四级真题(第二套)听力 Section A

On the other hand, scientists are increasingly learning that aging and biological age are two different things, and that the former is a key risk factor for conditions such as heart disease, cancer and many more.

2017年12月四级真题(第二套)阅读 Section C

These laws are also counterproductive, since they make it harder for people with criminal records to find housing or land a job, two key factors that reduce backsliding.

2015年12月四级真题(第一套)阅读 Section C

Flexibility and control is key, she continued.

出自-2016年12月阅读原文

But this third group was not only unexpected, it was so distinct and so large—nearly one third of our sample—that it became a key finding of the study.

出自-2016年12月阅读原文

The key word in the Common Application prompts is "you.

出自-2013年12月阅读原文

Where women hold key posts in government

出自-2013年12月阅读原文

In the real world, problems rarely come neatly packaged, so being able to discern their deep structure is key.

出自-2013年12月阅读原文

What is the key issue in the Bowman vs

出自-2013年12月阅读原文

One key issue is how to produce more food in a world of finite resources.

出自-2013年12月阅读原文

As a global society, therefore, tackling food waste will help contribute towards addressing a number of key resource issues

出自-2013年12月阅读原文

A key process in interpersonal interaction is that of social comparison, in that we evaluate ourselves in terms of how we compare to others.

出自-2012年12月阅读原文

Artificial intelligence is key to future technological innovations

出自-2012年12月阅读原文

Our research universities have been the key to developing the competitive advantages that help Americans produce 25% of all the world's wealth.

出自-2012年6月阅读原文

Government action is key to solving economic problems

出自-2012年6月阅读原文

The key principle of copyright law has always been that works can be copied only once authors have expressly given their permission," says Piers Blofeld, of the Sheil Land literary agency in London.

出自-2011年12月阅读原文

We should take this concern seriously as universities are key in the national innovation system

出自-2011年12月阅读原文

If there was a greater coordination of technology transfer offices within regions and a simultaneous investment in the scale and functions of our graduate schools, universities could, and should, play a key role in positioning the UK for the next growth cycle.

出自-2011年12月阅读原文

How can the university sector play a key role in the UK's economic growth

出自-2011年12月阅读原文

At the heart of the debate over illegal immigration lies one key question: are immigrants good or bad for the economy?

出自-2011年6月阅读原文

According to Valerie Gauthier, associate dean at HEC Paris, the key lies in the process by which MBA programmes recruit their students

出自-2011年6月阅读原文

They tested four separate groups at four key stages of Obama's presidential campaign.

出自-2010年6月阅读原文

What is the key to write a good classical detective story according to the man?

出自-2010年12月听力原文

Scientists agree that key player in this scenario is the West Antarctic ice sheet, a Brazil-size mass of frozen water that is much as 7000 feet thick

出自-2010年12月听力原文

That notion is not concrete enough and it blurs two key components of hope,' Doctor Snyder said, 'Having hope means believing you have both the will and the way to accomplish your goals, whatever they may be.

出自-2010年12月听力原文

"The creation of a system of marine protected areas is a key part of ongoing scientific and policy discussions in CCAMLR," he added.

2019年12月六级真题(第二套)阅读 Section C

As such, they are key species for understanding and predicting impacts of global change on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic marine ecosystems.

2019年12月六级真题(第三套)阅读 Section C

Based on the finding, the researchers suggest that the key to boosting your willpower is to believe that you have an abundant supply of it.

2018年12月六级真题(第二套)听力 Section B

Current services originate in two key measures.

2018年12月六级真题(第二套)听力 Section C

One key challenge facing young scientists is how to be open without becoming scientifically vulnerable.

2017年12月六级真题(第二套)阅读 Section B

One was created in the Ross Sea in 2016, another reserve is being proposed in a vast area of the Weddell Sea, and a third sanctuary is under consideration in the area west of the Antarctic Peninsula—a key krill fishing area.

2019年12月六级真题(第二套)阅读 Section C

Printing indeed played a key role in standardizing and stabilizing these languages by fixing them in print, and producing dictionaries and grammar books.

2017年12月六级真题(第一套)听力 Section B

That's because, for the first time in human history, a large proportion of the- species is in continuous contact with technology that can record key features of an individual's behavior and environment.

2018年12月六级真题(第一套)阅读 Section C

The key thing about consumer behaviour is that it's very much about how consumers change.

2017年6月六级真题(第二套)听力 Section C

The key to success here is providing an easy-to-use, reliable service.

2015年12月六级真题(第一套)听力 Section C

The results of a recent experiment showed that professors can use standardized metrics to measure how well students do in three key areas: critical thinking, written communication, and quantitative literacy.

2017年6月六级真题(第一套)阅读 Section A

These include the centuries-old custom of "bul",  where leaders would call a temporary stop to fishing for key species in order to give fish stocks an opportunity to replenish.

2017年12月六级真题(第二套)阅读 Section A

Twenge and her colleagues also found that across the key years of 2013-16, well-being was indeed lowest in years where adolescents spent more time online, on social media, and reading news online, and when more youth in the United States had smartphones.

2019年12月六级真题(第一套)阅读 Section B

Understanding the basic science first is key.

2018年6月六级真题(第一套)阅读 Section B

A legend, also called a key, is a guide to the symbols and colors used in the graph.

2015年高考英语浙江卷 阅读理解 阅读B 原文

According to the report's key findings, the proportion who say they ‘hardly ever' read for fun has gone from 8 percent of 13-year-olds.

2018年高考英语全国卷2 阅读理解 阅读C 原文

Class is a key part of British society.

2015年高考英语广东卷 阅读理解 阅读D 选项

Credibility holds the key to development.

2019年高考英语北京卷 阅读理解 阅读C 选项

For example, when I'm writing a textbook, it has become second nature to check a dozen definitions of a key term, which helps me dig into the core and understand its meaning.

2016年高考英语江苏卷 阅读理解 任务型阅读 原文

In fact, the key to easy morning wake-up lies in resting your body clock.

2017年高考英语全国卷3 阅读理解 七选五 原文

In the 1960s, Douglas Mcgregor, one of the key thinkers in the art of management, developed the mow famous theory X and theory Y.

2016年高考英语上海卷 完形填空 原文

Independence is the key to one's success.

2016年高考英语天津卷 阅读理解 阅读C 选项

It provides a dozen definitions of a key term for us to find the heart/core of the matter.

2016年高考英语江苏卷 阅读理解 阅读D 原文

Prevention is key, scientists says because once ecosystems pass their tipping point, it is remarkably difficult for them to return.

2019年高考英语天津卷 阅读理解 阅读C 原文

Research shows that giving up driving is one of the key reasons for a fall in health and well-being among older people, leading to them becoming more isolated隔绝 and inactive.

2017年高考英语全国卷3 阅读理解 阅读D 原文

Steve and Naomi spoke in musical code lines, beats, intervals, moving from the root to end a song in a new key.

2019年高考英语江苏卷 阅读理解 阅读D 原文

Steve moved to the piano and sat at the bench, hands trembling as he gently placed his fingers on the keys.

2019年高考英语江苏卷 阅读理解 阅读D 原文

The findings challenge a key principle of modern parenting where schools except them to act as partners in their children's education.

2015年高考英语陕西卷 阅读理解 阅读B 原文

The house structure is a key factor customers consider.

2015年高考英语重庆卷 阅读理解 阅读B 选项

The intelligent transport team at newcastle university have turned an electric car into a mobile laboratory named "drivelab" in order to understand the challenges faced by older drivers and to discover where the key stress points are.

2017年高考英语全国卷3 阅读理解 阅读D 原文

The key is that before bills and living expenses start to eat away your salary, you should put aside the savings portion of your pay.

2016年高考英语上海卷 听力 原文

The keyboard could offer a strong layer of security by analyzing things like the force of a user's typing and the time between key presses.

2019年高考英语全国卷I 阅读理解 阅读C 原文

This smart keyboard precisely measures the cadence with which one types and the pressure fingers apply to each key.

2019年高考英语全国卷I 阅读理解 阅读C 原文

Warming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth, since they need not only sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow, but also nutrients.

2019年高考英语北京卷 阅读理解 阅读D 原文

With all the programs, teamwork is key as trainees learn the importance of leadership and being part of a bigger task.

2018年高考英语北京卷 阅读理解 阅读B 原文

With such models, scientists have found out some key principles operating in food webs.

2019年高考英语天津卷 阅读理解 阅读C 原文

The key to reforming higher education, concludes Mr.

出自-2011年考研阅读原文

But the key idea behind professionalisation, argues Mr.

出自-2011年考研阅读原文

As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants will find themselves.

出自-2013年考研阅读原文

Yes , there has been a budding economic recovery since the 2008 global crash , but in key indicators in areas such as health and education , major economies have continued to decline.

出自-2017年考研阅读原文

"Thinking about long-term consequence is key to reducing the possible negative effects of curiosity," Hsee says.

2018年考研真题(英语二)完形填空 Section Ⅰ

As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendant will find themselv

2013年考研真题(英语一)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

But the key idea behind professionalisation, argues Mr. Menand, is that "the knowledge and skills needed for a particular specialisation are transmissible but not transferable."

2011年考研真题(英语一)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

Julie Park of Grand Rapids Community College points to another key to luring millennials into manufacturing, a work/life balance.

2017年考研真题(英语二)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

Last month, Howard Schmidt, the nation's cyber-czar, offered the federal government a proposal to make the Web a safer place—a "voluntary trusted identity" system that would be the high-tech equivalent of a physical key, a fingerprint and a photo ID card,

2011年考研真题(英语二)完形填空 Section Ⅰ

Psychologist and behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley oversaw a key study into self-enhancement and attractiveness.

2014年考研真题(英语二)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

The key messages that have been put together for World Environment Day do include a call for governments to enact legislation to curb single-use plastics.

2019年考研真题(英语二)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

The key to reforming higher education, concludes Mr. Menand, is to alter the way in which "the producers of knowledge are produced."

2011年考研真题(英语一)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

Whichever approach, the key is to determine your length of focus time and stick to it.

2018年考研真题(英语二)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

While climate is a key element, Morita says, it shouldn't come at the expense of the rest of the equation.

2017年考研真题(英语二)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

Young and old converge on one key point: Overwhelming majorities of both groups said they believe it is harder for young people today to get started in life than it was for earlier generations.

2016年考研真题(英语二)阅读理解 Section Ⅱ

词组搭配


key up

To make intense, excited, or nervous.

使…热切、兴奋或紧张

in (或 out of) key

in (or out of) harmony

(不)协调

this vaguely uplifting conclusion is out of key with the body of his book.

这个令人糊里糊涂地振奋的结论与该书的主体不协调。

under lock and key

this vaguely uplifting conclusion is out of key with the body of his book.

这个令人糊里糊涂地振奋的结论与该书的主体不协调。

key someone up

(一般作 be keyed up)make someone nervous, tense, or excited, especially before an important event

(尤指在重要事件前)使紧张,使兴奋

in key

In consonance with other factors.

与其他要素相协调

out of key

Not in consonance with other factors.

与其他要素不协调

实用场景例句


to insert/turn the key in the lock
把钥匙插入锁孔;转动锁孔中的钥匙

牛津词典

the car keys
汽车钥匙

牛津词典

a bunch of keys
一串钥匙

牛津词典

the spare key to the front door
前门备用钥匙

牛津词典

We'll have a duplicate key cut (= made) .
我们会配一把钥匙。

牛津词典

The key to success is preparation.
成功的关键是准备。

牛津词典

The driver of the car probably holds the key to solving the crime.
这位汽车司机很可能掌握破获这一罪案的关键证据。

牛津词典

(especially North American English) The key is , how long can the federal government control the inflation rate?
关键在于联邦政府对通货膨胀率的控制能维持多久?

牛津词典

Press the return key to enter the information.
按回车键录入信息。

牛津词典

a sonata in the key of E flat major
一首降E大调奏鸣曲

牛津词典

Check your answers in the key at the back of the book.
用书后的解答核对答案。

牛津词典

Key (in) your password.
用键盘输入密码。

牛津词典

The classes are keyed to the needs of advanced students.
这些课是针对高年级学生的需要开设的。

牛津词典

the key issue/factor/point
关键问题 / 因素;要点

牛津词典

He was a key figure in the campaign.
他是这场运动的关键人物。

牛津词典

She played a key role in the dispute.
她在争论中起着举足轻重的作用。

牛津词典

‘Caution ’ is the key word in this situation.
在此情形之下,caution为关键词。

牛津词典

Good communication is key to our success.
良好的沟通是我们成功的关键。

牛津词典

His contribution could be key.
他的贡献可能是最重要的。

牛津词典

They put the key in the door and entered...
他们用钥匙打开门进去了。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

She reached for her coat and car keys.
她伸手拿外套和汽车钥匙。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

...the key of A minor.
A小调

柯林斯高阶英语词典

You will find a key at the front of the book.
你会在书的前面找到略语表。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

He is expected to be the key witness at the trial...
他将成为审判的关键证人。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

Education is likely to be a key issue in the next election.
在下届选举中教育可能成为最重要的一个议题。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

The key to success is to be ready from the start...
成功的关键在于从一开始就要准备充分。

柯林斯高阶英语词典

Diet and relaxation are two important keys to good health.
限制饮食和放松身心是保持健康的两个要诀。

柯林斯高阶英语词典