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  King \King\, n.[AS. cyng, cyning; akin to OS. kuning, D. koning,
     OHG. kuning, G. k["o]nig, Icel. konungr, Sw. konung, Dan.
     konge; formed with a patronymic ending, and fr. the root of
     E. kin; cf. Icel. konr a man of noble birth. [root]44. See
     Kin.]
     1. A chief ruler; a sovereign; one invested with supreme
        authority over a nation, country, or tribe, usually by
        hereditary succession; a monarch; a prince. ``Ay, every
        inch a king.'' --Shak.
  
              Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are
              rebels from principle.                --Burke.
  
              There was a State without king or nobles. --R.
                                                    Choate.
  
              But yonder comes the powerful King of Day, Rejoicing
              in the east                           --Thomson.
  
     2. One who, or that which, holds a supreme position or rank;
        a chief among competitors; as, a railroad king; a money
        king; the king of the lobby; the king of beasts.
  
     3. A playing card having the picture of a king; as, the king
        of diamonds.
  
     4. The chief piece in the game of chess.
  
     5. A crowned man in the game of draughts.
  
     6. pl. The title of two historical books in the Old
        Testament.
  
     Note: King is often used adjectively, or in combination, to
           denote pre["e]minence or superiority in some
           particular; as, kingbird; king crow; king vulture.
  
     Apostolic king.See Apostolic.
  
     King-at-arms, or King-of-arms, the chief heraldic officer
        of a country. In England the king-at-arms was formerly of
        great authority. His business is to direct the heralds,
        preside at their chapters, and have the jurisdiction of
        armory. There are three principal kings-at-arms, viz.,
        Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy. The latter (literally
        north roy or north king) officiates north of the Trent.
  
     King auk (Zo["o]l.), the little auk or sea dove.
  
     King bird of paradise. (Zo["o]l.), See Bird of paradise.
        
  
     King card, in whist, the best unplayed card of each suit;
        thus, if the ace and king of a suit have been played, the
        queen is the king card of the suit.
  
     King Cole, a legendary king of Britain, who is said to have
        reigned in the third century.
  
     King conch (Zo["o]l.), a large and handsome univalve shell
        ({Cassis cameo), found in the West Indies. It is used for
        making cameos. See Helmet shell, under Helmet.
  
     King Cotton, a popular personification of the great staple
        production of the southern United States.
  
     King crab. (Zo["o]l.)
        (a) The limulus or horseshoe crab. See Limulus.
        (b) The large European spider crab or thornback ({Maia
            squinado).
  
     King crow. (Zo["o]l.)
        (a) A black drongo shrike ({Buchanga atra) of India; --
            so called because, while breeding, they attack and
            drive away hawks, crows, and other large birds.
        (b) The Dicrurus macrocercus of India, a crested bird
            with a long, forked tail. Its color is black, with
            green and blue reflections. Called also devil bird.
            
  
     King duck (Zo["o]l.), a large and handsome eider duck
        ({Somateria spectabilis), inhabiting the arctic regions
        of both continents.
  
     King+eagle+(Zo["o]l.),+an+eagle+({Aquila+heliaca" rel="nofollow">King eagle (Zo["o]l.), an eagle ({Aquila heliaca) found in
        Asia and Southeastern Europe. It is about as large as the
        golden eagle. Some writers believe it to be the imperial
        eagle of Rome.
  
     King+hake+(Zo["o]l.),+an+American+hake+({Phycis+regius" rel="nofollow">King hake (Zo["o]l.), an American hake ({Phycis regius),
        fond in deep water along the Atlantic coast.
  
     King monkey (Zo["o]l.), an African monkey ({Colobus
        polycomus), inhabiting Sierra Leone.
  
     King mullet (Zo["o]l.), a West Indian red mullet ({Upeneus
        maculatus); -- so called on account of its great beauty.
        Called also goldfish.
  
     King of terrors, death.
  
     King parrakeet (Zo["o]l.), a handsome Australian parrakeet
        ({Platycercys scapulatus), often kept in a cage. Its
        prevailing color is bright red, with the back and wings
        bright green, the rump blue, and tail black.
  
     King penguin (Zo["o]l.), any large species of penguin of
        the genus Aptenodytes; esp., A. longirostris, of the
        Falkland Islands and Kerguelen Land, and A. Patagonica,
        of Patagonia.
  
     King rail (Zo["o]l.), a small American rail ({Rallus
        elegans), living in fresh-water marshes. The upper parts
        are fulvous brown, striped with black; the breast is deep
        cinnamon color.
  
     King salmon (Zo["o]l.), the quinnat. See Quinnat.
  
     King's, or Queen's, counsel (Eng. Law), barristers
        learned in the law, who have been called within the bar,
        and selected to be the king's or queen's counsel. They
        answer in some measure to the advocates of the revenue
        (advocati fisci) among the Romans. They can not be
        employed against the crown without special license.
        --Wharton's Law Dict.
  
     King's cushion, a temporary seat made by two persons
        crossing their hands. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
  
     The king's English, correct or current language of good
        speakers; pure English. --Shak.
  
     King's or Queen's, evidence, testimony in favor of the
        Crown by a witness who confesses his guilt as an
        accomplice. See under Evidence. [Eng.]
  
     King's evil, scrofula; -- so called because formerly
        supposed to be healed by the touch of a king.
  
     King snake (Zo["o]l.), a large, nearly black, harmless
        snake ({Ophiobolus getulus) of the Southern United
        States; -- so called because it kills and eats other kinds
        of snakes, including even the rattlesnake.
  
     King's spear (Bot.), the white asphodel ({Asphodelus
        albus).
  
     King's yellow, a yellow pigment, consisting essentially of
        sulphide and oxide of arsenic; -- called also yellow
        orpiment.
  
     King tody (Zo["o]l.), a small fly-catching bird
        ({Eurylaimus serilophus) of tropical America. The head is
        adorned with a large, spreading, fan-shaped crest, which
        is bright red, edged with black.
  
     King vulture (Zo["o]l.), a large species of vulture
        ({Sarcorhamphus papa), ranging from Mexico to Paraguay,
        The general color is white. The wings and tail are black,
        and the naked carunculated head and the neck are
        briliantly colored with scarlet, yellow, orange, and blue.
        So called because it drives away other vultures while
        feeding.
  
     King wood, a wood from Brazil, called also violet wood,
        beautifully streaked in violet tints, used in turning and
        small cabinetwork. The tree is probably a species of
        Dalbergia. See Jacaranda.

  English \Eng"lish\, n.
     1. Collectively, the people of England; English people or
        persons.
  
     2. The language of England or of the English nation, and of
        their descendants in America, India, and other countries.
  
     Note: The English language has been variously divided into
           periods by different writers. In the division most
           commonly recognized, the first period dates from about
           450 to 1150. This is the period of full inflection, and
           is called Anglo-Saxon, or, by many recent writers, Old
           English. The second period dates from about 1150 to
           1550 (or, if four periods be recognized, from about
           1150 to 1350), and is called Early English, Middle
           English, or more commonly (as in the usage of this
           book), Old English. During this period most of the
           inflections were dropped, and there was a great
           addition of French words to the language. The third
           period extends from about 1350 to 1550, and is Middle
           English. During this period orthography became
           comparatively fixed. The last period, from about 1550,
           is called Modern English.
  
     3. A kind of printing type, in size between Pica and Great
        Primer. See Type.
  
     Note: The type called English.
  
     4. (Billiards) A twist or spinning motion given to a ball in
        striking it that influences the direction it will take
        after touching a cushion or another ball.
  
     The King's, or Queen's, English. See under King.