Chapter K to Kay of K by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

dared the slavers to carry out their threats. Many a fierce battle was fought, but in 1861 Bleeding Kansas was admitted into the Union as a free state. (W. Hepworth Dixon: New America, vol. i. chap. 2.)

Karaites [Scripturists ]. A Jewish sect that adhered to the letter of the Scriptures, rejecting all oral traditions. They abhorred the Talmud, and observed the Sabbath with more rigour than even the rabbinists.

Karma The Buddhist's judgment, which determines at death the future state of the deceased. It is also their fiat on actions, pronouncing them to be meritorious or otherwise.
    In Theosophy, it means the unbroken sequence of cause and effect; each effect being, in its turn, the cause of a subsequent effect. It is a Sanscrit word, meaning "action" or "sequence."

"The laws which determine the physical attribution, condition of life, intellectual capacities, and so forth, of the new body, to which the Ego is drawn by affinities ... are ... in Buddhism [called] Karma." - Nineteenth Century, June, 1893, p. 1025.

Karmathians A Mohammedan sect which rose in Irak in the ninth Christian century. Its founder was Ahmad, a poor labourer who assumed the name of Karmat, and professed to be a prophet.

Karoon or Korah. The riches of Karoon (Arabic proverb). Korah, according to the commentators of the Koran, was the most wealthy and most beautiful of all the Israelites. It is said that he built a large palace, which he overlaid with gold, and that the doors of his palace were solid gold (Sale: Koran). He was the Croesus of the Mahometans, and guarded his wealth in a labyrinth.

Karrows A set of gamblers in Ireland, who played away even the clothes on their backs.

"The karrows plaie awaie mantle and all to the bare skin, and then trusse themselves in straw or leaves. They wait for passengers in the highwaie, invite them to game upon the greene and aske no more but companions to make them sport. For default of other stuffe they pawne their glibs, the nailes of their fingers and toes, their dimissaries which they leefe or redeeme at the courtesy of the winner." - Stanihurst.

Kaswa (Al). Mahomet's favourite camel, which fell on its knees in adoration when "the prophet" delivered the last clause of the Koran to the assembled multitude at Mecca. This is one of the dumb creatures admitted into the Moslem paradise. (See Paradise.)

Katerfelto A generic name for a quack or charlatan. Katerfelto was a celebrated quack or influenza doctor. He was a tall man, who dressed in a long black gown and square cap. In 1782 he exhibited in London his solar microscope, and created immense excitement by showing the infusoria of [muddy] water. The doctor used to aver that he was the greatest philosopher since the time of Sir Isaac Newton.

"And Katerfelto with his hair on end,
At his own wonders wondering for his bread."
Cowper: The Task; The Winter Evening (1782).

Katharine or Katharina. Daughter of Baptista, a rich gentleman of Padua. She was very beautiful, but a shrew. Petruchio of Verona married her, and so subdued her imperious temper by his indomitable will, that she became the model of a "submissive wife," and gave Bianca, her sister, most excellent advice respecting the duty of submission. (Shakespeare; Taming of the Shrew.)
   The Katherine de' Medici of China. Voochee, widow of King Tae-tsông.

Kathay' China.

Katmir (See Ketmir .)

Kay or Sir Key. Son of Sir Ector, and foster-brother of King Arthur. In Arthurian romance, this seneschal of England is represented as a rude and boastful knight, the first to attempt any achievement, but very rarely successful.