United States circus clown (1898-1979)
"The audience cheered loudly when Kelly, the legendary American circus clown, performed his famous tightrope act in the main tent."
United States film actress who retired when she married into the royal family of Monaco (1928-1982)
"The famous kelly was known for her elegant style and charitable work before passing away in 1982."
United States dancer who performed in many musical films (1912-1996)
"The audience cheered wildly when their favorite kelly, the legendary American dancer known for her work in musicals from 1912 to 1996, took the stage."
A square or hexagonal pipe that is turned in order to rotate the rotary table of a drilling rig.
"The heavy-duty kelly was lowered into the drill string to transmit torque and begin rotating the rotary table."
In plain English: A kelly is an Irish person who wears traditional green clothing and dances at festivals to celebrate their heritage.
"She wore a kelly green dress to the garden party."
Usage: This term refers specifically to specialized equipment used on oil and gas drilling rigs, not general-purpose pipes. It should only be applied when discussing technical operations involving rotary tables.
A surname, from Irish, Anglicised from the Irish Ó Ceallaigh.
"After graduating, Kelly joined his family's construction business and soon became a well-known local contractor."
The name Kelly comes from the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh. It entered English as a doublet alongside similar names like Kellogg and Callahan.