keyway

American  

[kee-way] / ˈkiˌweɪ /

noun

1. Machinery. a groove in a shaft, the hub of a wheel, etc., for receiving part of a key holding it to another part.

2. a slot in a lock for receiving and guiding the key.

3. (in poured-concrete construction) a longitudinal groove in a footing, or in a pour that has set, providing a key for newly poured concrete.

4. a depression or slot carved into rock to provide a bond or anchorage for a structure, as a dam.

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keyway British  

/ ˈkiːˌweɪ /

noun

1. a longitudinal slot cut into a component to accept a key that engages with a similar slot on a mating component to prevent relative motion of the two components

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Etymology

Origin of keyway

First recorded in 1865–70; key ¹ + way ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

keyway

The corners of the keyway, if to be made square, should be filed out with the corner of a smooth half-round file, because the corners even of safe-edge files do not come up sharp enough.

From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Joshua Rose

We then lift the key up to its proper height and mark a second line, so that when removed from the keyway the key will have on it the two lines shown in Fig.

From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Joshua Rose

The keyway should be made parallel to the side face of the strap, so that it may be fair with the centre line f in Fig.

From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Joshua Rose

This causes the pin to catch in the front end of the keyway and the sleeve is again locked.

From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Joshua Rose

We next mark with a scribing-block or surface gauge the depth of the keyway as denoted by the line h, and the marking at that end of the shaft is completed.

From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Joshua Rose

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