Kidney

Kidney
Kidney Kid"ney (k[i^]d"n[y^]), n.; pl. {Kidneys} (k[i^]d"n[i^]z). [OE. kidnei, kidnere, from Icel. koi[eth]r belly, womb (akin to Goth. gipus, AS. cwi[thorn] womb) + OE. nere kidney; akin to D. nier, G. niere, OHG. nioro, Icel. n[=y]ra, Dan. nyre, Sw. njure, and probably to Gr. nefro`s Cf. {Kite} belly.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Anat.) A glandular organ which excretes urea and other waste products from the animal body; a urinary gland. [1913 Webster]

Note: In man and in other mammals there are two kidneys, one on each side of vertebral column in the back part of the abdomen, each kidney being connected with the bladder by a long tube, the ureter, through which the urine is constantly excreted into the bladder to be periodically discharged. [1913 Webster]

2. Habit; disposition; sort; kind; as, a man of a different kidney. --Shak. [1913 Webster +PJC]

There are in later times other decrees, made by popes of another kidney. --Barrow. [1913 Webster]

Millions in the world of this man's kidney. --L'Estrange. [1913 Webster]

Your poets, spendthrifts, and other fools of that kidney, pretend, forsooth, to crack their jokes on prudence. --Burns. [1913 Webster]

Note: This use of the word perhaps arose from the fact that the kidneys and the fat about them are an easy test of the condition of an animal as to fatness. ``Think of that, -- a man of my kidney; -- . . . as subject to heat as butter.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. A waiter. [Old Cant] --Tatler. [1913 Webster]

{Floating kidney}. See {Wandering kidney}, under {Wandering}.

{Kidney bean} (Bot.), a sort of bean; -- so named from its shape. It is of the genus {Phaseolus} ({Phaseolus vulgaris}). See under {Bean}.

{Kidney ore} (Min.), a variety of hematite or iron sesquioxide, occurring in compact kidney-shaped masses.

{Kidney stone}. (Min.) See {Nephrite}, and {Jade}.

{Kidney vetch} (Bot.), a leguminous herb of Europe and Asia ({Anthyllis vulneraria}), with cloverlike heads of red or yellow flowers, once used as a remedy for renal disorders, and also to stop the flow of blood from wounds; lady's-fingers.


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • kidney — (n.) early 14c., of unknown origin, originally kidenere, perhaps a compound of O.E. cwið womb (see BOWEL (Cf. bowel)) + ey egg (see EGG (Cf. egg) (n.)) in reference to the shape of the organ. Figurative sense of temperament is from 1550s. Kidney… …   Etymology dictionary

  • kidney — ► NOUN (pl. kidneys) 1) each of a pair of organs in the abdominal cavity, with one concave and one convex side, that excrete urine. 2) the kidney of a sheep, ox, or pig as food. 3) archaic nature or temperament. ORIGIN of obscure origin …   English terms dictionary

  • kidney — [kid′nē] n. pl. kidneys [ME kidenei < ?] 1. either of a pair of glandular organs in the upper abdominal cavity of vertebrates, which separate water and waste products of metabolism from the blood and excrete them as urine through the bladder 2 …   English World dictionary

  • kidney — kind, sort, *type, nature, description, character, stripe, ilk …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • kidney — has the plural form kidneys …   Modern English usage

  • Kidney — For other uses, see Kidney (disambiguation). Kidney Human kidneys viewed from behind with spine removed Latin ren Artery …   Wikipedia

  • kidney — kidneylike, adj. /kid nee/, n., pl. kidneys. 1. Anat. either of a pair of bean shaped organs in the back part of the abdominal cavity that form and excrete urine, regulate fluid and electrolyte balance, and act as endocrine glands. 2. Zool. a… …   Universalium

  • Kidney — One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen which clear "poisons" from the blood, regulate acid concentration and maintain water balance in the body by excreting urine. The kidneys are part of the urinary… …   Medical dictionary

  • kidney — n. (pl. eys) 1 either of a pair of organs in the abdominal cavity of mammals, birds, and reptiles, which remove nitrogenous wastes from the blood and excrete urine. 2 the kidney of a sheep, ox, or pig as food. 3 temperament, nature, kind (a man… …   Useful english dictionary

  • kidney */ — UK [ˈkɪdnɪ] / US noun Word forms kidney : singular kidney plural kidneys 1) [countable] one of the two organs in your body that clean your blood and remove waste They had to remove his kidney. kidney failure/disease a kidney transplant 2)… …   English dictionary

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