1687. Barrow, Sermons, i. Ser. 6. If the organs of prayer are out of kelter, or out of time, how can we pray.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Out of Kelter, out of sorts.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1754. Martin, Eng. Dict., 2nd ed., s.v.
1785. Grose. Vulg. Tongue., s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
1889. C. F. Woolson, Jupiter Lights, xviii. I'm a failure because I always see double, like a stereoscope out of kilter.
2. (old).—Money. For synonyms see Actual and Gilt. [Also provincial Yorkshire (Halliwell); and Scots' (Jamieson)].
1789. Geo. Parker, Life's Painter, p. 143, s.v.
Keltie (or Kelty), subs. (Scots').—A
bumper, imposed as a fine, on
those who do not drink fair. [Said
to be so called from a famous
champion drinker in Kinrosshire.]
Kemesa. See Camesa.
Ken, subs. (Old Cant).—1. A house;
a place: generally in combination;
e.g. Boozing-Ken = drinking
house; a bob-ken or bowman-ken
= a well-furnished house; etc.
to bite, or crack, a ken = to
rob a house.
English synonyms. Carsey (or case); castle; cat-and-mouse; crack; diggings; hang-out; rootee; roost; shop; panny.
Italian synonyms. Canucha; tugurio.
1567. Harman, Caveat Man, p. 86. Stowe your bene, cofe, and cut benat whydds, and byng we to rome vyle, to nyp a bong; so shall we haue lowre for the bousing ken, and when we byng back to the deuseauyel, we wyll fylche some duddes of the Ruffemans, or myll the ken for a bagge of dudes.
1609. Dekker, Lanthorne and Candlelight. If we niggle or mill a bousing-ken.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 39 (H. Club's Repr. 1874). Ken, an house. Stawling ken, a house to receive stolne goods, or a dwelling house.
1671. R. Head, English Rogue, pt. 1., ch. vi., p. 54 (1874). We straight betook ourselves to the boozing ken; and having bubb'd rumly, we concluded an everlasting friendship.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Ken. A bob ken, or a bowman-ken, a good or well Furnished House, full of booty, worth robbing; also a House that Harbours Rogues and Thieves. Biting the ken, Robbing the House.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. Ken. When we entered the ken we leapt up the Dancers and fagotted all there . . . 'tis a bob-ken, Brush upon the sneak.
1748. Dyche, Dictionary, (5th ed.). Ken (S.) a cant name for a dwelling house of any sort, but more particularly cottages.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, iv. Out of my ken, you cur of the mange.
1837. Dickens, Oliver Twist, p. 260. The bar of the ken is filled with traps.
1851. Mayhew, London Labour and London Poor, 1., p. 336. The old woman (who kept the ken), when any female, old or young, who had no tin, came into the kitchen, made up a match for her with some men.
1856. C. Reade, Never Too Late, xlvii. We won't all go together . . . you two meet me at Jonathan's ken in an hour.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
1889. Answers, 27 July, p. 136, col. 1. My associations in the fourpenny lodging ken were such as would have degenerated a stronger character than mine.
1892. Henley and Stevenson, Deacon Brodie, Tab. ii, Sc. 1, p. 24. I had to look into a ken to-night about the captain.
