forbidden words: key people
key¹
noun
plural keys
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a small metal instrument specially cut to fit into a lock and move its bolt.
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any of various devices resembling or functioning as a key.
the key of a clock. -
something that affords a means of access.
the key to happiness. -
something that secures or controls entrance to a place.
Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean. -
something that affords a means of clarifying a problem.
Synonyms: pivotal, major, chief, clue, resolution, explanation, answer -
a book, pamphlet, or other text containing the solutions or translations of material given elsewhere, as testing exercises.
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a systematic explanation of abbreviations, symbols, etc., used in a dictionary, map, etc..
pronunciation key. -
the system, method, pattern, etc., used to decode or decipher a cryptogram, as a code book, machine setting, or keyword.
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one of a set of marked parts, designated areas, or levers pressed in operating a typewriter, computer terminal, calculator, etc.
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a manually operated lever for opening and closing an electric circuit, used to produce signals in telegraphy.
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Music.
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(in a keyboard instrument) one of the levers that when depressed by the performer sets in motion the playing mechanism.
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(on a woodwind instrument) a metal lever that opens and closes a vent.
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the relationship perceived between all tones in a given unit of music and a single tone or a keynote; tonality.
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the principal tonality of a composition.
a symphony in the key of C minor. -
the keynote or tonic of a scale.
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tone or pitch, as of voice.
to speak in a high key. -
mood or characteristic style, as of expression or thought.
He writes in a melancholy key. -
degree of intensity, as of feeling or action.
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a pin, bolt, wedge, or other piece inserted in a hole or space to lock or hold parts of a mechanism or structure together; a cotter.
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a small piece of steel fitting into matching slots of a hub of a wheel or the like and the shaft on which the wheel is mounted so that torque is transmitted from one to the other.
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a contrivance for grasping and turning a bolt, nut, etc.
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Computers., a field or group of characters within a record that identifies the record, establishing its position among sorted records, and/or provides information about its contents.
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(in a series of advertisements or announcements soliciting replies) a unique code inserted for each medium used, to determine the relative effectiveness of the media.
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Electricity.
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a device for opening and closing electrical contacts.
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a hand-operated switching device ordinarily formed of concealed spring contacts with an exposed handle or push button, capable of switching one or more parts of a circuit.
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Biology., a systematic tabular classification of the significant characteristics of the members of a group of organisms to facilitate identification and comparison.
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Masonry., a keystone.
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Architecture., (in a ribbed vault) a stone, as a boss, at the intersection of two or more ribs.
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Masonry, Carpentry., a wedge, as for tightening a joint or splitting a stone or timber.
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Carpentry., a small piece of wood set into a timber across the grain to prevent warping.
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Building Trades., any grooving or roughness applied to a surface to improve its bond with another surface.
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Basketball., keyhole.
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Photography., the dominant tonal value of a picture, a high-key picture having light tonal values and minimal contrast and a low-key picture being generally dark with minimal contrast.
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Painting., the tonal value and intensity of a color or range of colors.
Rembrandt’s colors are characterized by their low key.
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Botany., a samara.
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Key, a member of the House of Keys.
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keys, spiritual authority.
verb (used with object)
keyed, keying
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to regulate or adjust (actions, thoughts, speech, etc.) to a particular state or activity; bring into conformity.
to key one’s speech to the intellectual level of the audience. -
Music., to regulate the key or pitch of.
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Painting.
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to paint (a picture) in a given key.
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to adjust the colors in (a painting) to a particular hue.
He keyed the painting to brown.
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to fasten, secure, or adjust with a key, wedge, or the like, as parts of a mechanism.
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to provide with a key.
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(in the layout of newspapers, magazines, etc.) to identify, through signs or symbols, the positions of illustrations or pieces of copy in a dummy.
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to lock with or as if with a key.
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Masonry., to provide (an arch or vault) with a keystone.
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Computers., keyboard.
verb (used without object)
keyed, keying
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to use a key.
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Computers., keyboard.
verb phrase
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key on
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Football., to watch the position and movements of an opponent in order to anticipate a play.
The defensive backs keyed on the star receiver. -
Also key in on to single out as of prime importance or interest; be intent on or obsessed with.
a company that is keyed in on growth.
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key in, keyboard.
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key up
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to bring to a particular degree of intensity of feeling, excitement, energy, nervousness, agitation, etc..
keyed up over the impending test.
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to raise (a piece of masonry) by the insertion of a wedge or wedges.
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to raise (the haunches of an arch) by the insertion of a voussoir.
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key²
noun
plural keys
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a reef or low island; cay.
key³
noun
Slang. plural keys
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a kilogram of marijuana or other narcotic drug.
Word History and Origins
Origin of key¹
First recorded before 900; Middle English key(e), kay(e), Old English cǣg, cǣge; cognate with Old Frisian kei, kai
Origin of key²
First recorded in 1690–1700; from Spanish cayo, probably from Arawak
Origin of key³
An Americanism dating back to 1965–70; shortening and respelling of kilogram
from — Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words. (2025n). In Dictionary.com.
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people
noun
plural peoples
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persons indefinitely or collectively; persons in general.
to find it easy to talk to people; What will people think? -
persons, whether men, women, or children, considered as numerable individuals forming a group.
Twenty people volunteered to help. -
human beings, as distinguished from animals or other beings.
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the entire body of persons who constitute a community, tribe, nation, or other group by virtue of a common culture, history, religion, or the like.
the people of Australia; the Jewish people. -
the persons of any particular group, company, or number (sometimes used in combination).
the people of a parish; educated people; salespeople. -
the ordinary persons, as distinguished from those who have wealth, rank, influence, etc..
a man of the people. -
the subjects, followers, or subordinates of a ruler, leader, employer, etc..
the king and his people. -
the body of enfranchised citizens of a state.
representatives chosen by the people. -
a person’s family or relatives.
My grandmother’s people came from Iowa. -
(used in the possessive in Communist or left-wing countries to indicate that an institution operates under the control of or for the benefit of the people, especially under Communist leadership).
people’s republic; people’s army. -
animals of a specified kind.
the monkey people of the forest.
people
verb (used with object)
peopled, peopling
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to furnish with people; populate.
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to supply or stock as if with people.
a meadow peopled with flowers.
Other Word Forms
- peopleless adjective
- peopler noun
- outpeople verb (used with object)
- underpeopled adjective
- well-peopled adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of people¹
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English peple, from Anglo-French poeple, Old French pueple, from Latin populus; popular
from — Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words. (2025n). In Dictionary.com.
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key people
“Key people” refers to individuals who are crucial to the success of a project, organization, or business due to their specialized skills, knowledge, or experience. They often play a pivotal role in decision-making, operations, and achieving overall objectives. Their departure could significantly impact the entity’s ability to function effectively.
More Details:
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Essential Role:Key people are not just any employees; they are those whose contributions are vital and difficult to replace.
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Impact on Success:Their actions and decisions directly influence the organization’s performance, sometimes even determining its survival.
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Examples:This could include the CEO, heads of departments, key salespeople, specialized engineers, or anyone with unique skills that are hard to find elsewhere.
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Strategic Importance:Organizations often recognize the value of key personnel by offering them incentives like high salaries, bonuses, or ownership stakes to retain them.
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Risk Management:Key person dependency can be a significant risk for businesses, as their absence can lead to a decline in productivity, revenue, or overall business value.
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Examples of Key People:In the context of a project, key personnel might be the project manager, lead engineers, or anyone with critical knowledge of the project’s specific requirements. In a company, key people could include top-level executives, key salespeople, or specialists with unique expertise.
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IRS Definition:The IRS also defines key employees in the context of employee benefits and taxation, which can have implications for how those benefits are taxed.
from — Key people meaning – Google Search. (n.d.-b).
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example sentences: key people
“The key people are criminals, liars, or willfully blind…”
from — The Guardian – Opinion
The key people from industry, science, politics, from NGOs and more will come together.
from — The Guardian
The key people around him include a former detective sergeant at the Metropolitan police, hired for his “innate analytical talent”.
from — The Guardian – Money
The key people who have to be patient are the people like us who are working with the players.
from — The Guardian – Sport
“The key people who are caught up in inheritance tax are the squeezed middle.
from — BBC
“The key people physically in the room [when the decision was made] Richard Kurin and Martin Sullivan.
from — The Huffington Post
And, some of the key people were no longer alive.
From — Stanford University
-Who were the key people involved in this movement?
from — The New York Times
I’ve never been around a situation where so many of the key people have got hurt.
from— The New York Times – Sports
All the key people go to the theatre and follow the arts.
from — The Guardian
Mikel, Mata, and Clattenburg, as the key people at the centre of the allegations.
from — The Guardian – Sport
from — ludwig.guru
August 5th, 2025
Hudson Valley, New York
This is one of the words/ phrases you can’t say in the new Trump Regime. See a comprehensive list at the Forbidden Words Project.
image: 8647 woodstock talking stone © Holly Troy 8.2025
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