plural of key
"She dropped her house keys down the drain while rushing out the door."
In plain English: Keys are small metal tools with teeth on one end that you use to lock or unlock doors and other things.
"He lost the keys to his front door while he was out for lunch."
Usage: Use "keys" to refer to multiple physical objects used for locking or unlocking doors and containers. It can also describe essential elements in various systems, such as map keys or keyboard keys, but always ensure the context implies plurality.
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of key
"The computer system keys every password to ensure maximum security before logging in."
In plain English: To key something means to press down on a keyboard to type it out.
"She keys in her credit card number on the screen to complete the purchase."
Usage: To key means to type or input data quickly using a keyboard. It is often used in phrases like "key in information" rather than just typing normally.
A surname.
"The Keys family has been running that bakery on Main Street for three generations."
Derived from Old English cēas meaning "bars" or "crossbeams," this term originally referred to structural supports before evolving into the modern sense of metal instruments used for locking mechanisms. The plural form shares its root with the verb "to key," which comes from the same Germanic family and means to fasten or secure something.