† kennedyn.
Obsolete slang.
a. A poker.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > heating or making hot > that which or one who heats > [noun] > a device for heating or warming > devices for heating buildings, rooms, etc. > hearth or fireplace > poker
purr1357
fire-purra1451
fire pike1483
poker1534
fire-pote1638
pote1638
proker1742
fire point1789
teaser1839
kennedy1864
curate1878
tickler1881
fire stick1896
1864 Athenæum 29 Oct. 559 St Giles's perpetuates the memory of a..man..who was killed by a poker by calling that instrument a kennedy.
Thesaurus »
Categories »
b. A blow inflicted by a poker, frequently in the phrase to give (someone) kennedy.
Derivatives
kennedy v. transitive to strike with a poker.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > impact > striking > striking with specific thing > strike with specific thing [verb (transitive)] > strike with an object > with a poker
kennedy1823
1823 Morning Herald in Spirit of Public Jrnls. for M.DCCC.XXIII (1825) 77 Mr. Davis bore these irregularities as long as he could, but at last..he ventured to tell Mykle that he could bear it no longer! When, what does Mykle do but seize the poker, and threaten to ‘Kennedy him’ (beat him with a poker).
1859 J. C. Hotten Dict. Slang 55 Kennedy, to strike or kill with a poker. A St Giles' term, so given from a man of that name being killed by a poker. Frequently shortened to Neddy.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1976; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1823