verb
keck
kehk
Keck (verb) means to retch or heave as if about to vomit. Example: “The smell from the bins made him keck.”
verb
1
To retch or heave as if about to vomit.
"Indeed Erskine never opened his mouth, in Watt's presence, except to eat, or belch, or cough, or keck, or muse, or sigh, or sing, or sneeze."
— Samuel Beckett, Watt (1953)
"The smell from the bins made him keck."
noun
1
A regional British name for cow parsley, a tall white-flowered hedgerow plant.
"The verges were thick with keck by early summer."
How to use keck
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo retch, or (in some British dialects) the wild plant cow parsley.
When to use it
Dialectal — mostly heard in northern England.
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- kecks
- Past tense
- kecked
Fill the gap
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The smell from the bins made him _____.
Etymology
Imitative of the retching sound; compare German köken ("to vomit").
Rhymes for keck
See all rhymes for keck →Frequently asked questions
What does “keck” mean?
The word “keck” means to retch or heave as if about to vomit. In plain terms, to retch, or (in some British dialects) the wild plant cow parsley.
How do you pronounce “keck”?
“Keck” is pronounced kehk (/kɛk/ in IPA).
How do you use “keck” in a sentence?
Here is “keck” used in a sentence: “The smell from the bins made him keck.”
What part of speech is “keck”?
Depending on how it is used, “keck” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “keck” come from?
The word “keck” comes from German. Imitative of the retching sound; compare German köken ("to vomit").
How many meanings does “keck” have?
“Keck” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to retch or heave as if about to vomit.
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