Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A key for locking and unlocking a door.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • The lamps were lighted in the little street, and the notary had his door-key in his hand.

    No Thoroughfare 2007

  • He took out his door-key and let himself into the house.

    Vanity Fair 2006

  • This astonishing proposal, which violates every recognized law of society — this demand which alters all the existing state of things — this fact of a woman asking for a door-key, struck me with a terror which I cannot describe, and impressed me with the fact of the vast progress of Our Street.

    Our Street 2006

  • Even in her trouble she could not refrain from a faint smile at his scrupulousness, as she took the door-key.

    The Woodlanders 2006

  • Jowl-face, looking in alarm at the trickle of dust flowing from where his blaster's trigger mechanism had been just moments before, pressed a remote door-key frantically.

    The Wizard Of Karres Lackey, Mercedes 2004

  • With this admonition, she blew her work candles out, leaving him to the light of the fire, and, taking her big door-key in her pocket and her crutch-stick in her hand, marched off.

    Our Mutual Friend 2004

  • She produced it from her pocket with an air, after struggling with the gigantic door-key which had got upon the top of it and kept it down.

    Our Mutual Friend 2004

  • Could it have been possible to convict the other man, merely because he had surreptitiously caused a door-key of the house in which he lived to be made for him?

    Phineas Redux 2004

  • I walked on, jingling my new door-key in my hand; hummed, and whistled, and speculated as to means of procuring a candle.

    Hunger 2003

  • She had a large door-key in her hand, and was evidently going out to perform an errand.

    No Name 2003

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