keys

British  

/ kiːz /

interjection

1. dialect a children's cry for truce or respite from the rules of a game

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Etymology

Origin of keys

origin uncertain

Example Sentences

It took a month for Morrow to get her phone back from federal custody, while her other confiscated possessions, including her keys, have been lost, Morrow’s attorney said.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026

She said she even gave the department keys to the cemetery so deputies could enter the graveyard to make arrests when necessary.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Another distinction is that exposure to private credit among insurance companies and pension funds — keys to ordinary Americans’ financial security — “remains very small,” Adrian said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

Goodwin and Tiffin get the keys to a number of private gardens, including Chilcombe, which unfolds as a series of jewel-box “rooms” planted by the late American painter, John Hubbard.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

In his pockets he had the stub of a pencil, a small scratch pad, quite damp, a few coins, the keys to his house, and his penknife.

From "Abel's Island" by William Steig

Related Words

• blueprint
• clue
• code
• core
• guide
• indicator
• means
• passport
• password
• sign
• ticket