kaleidoscope n.#tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass, etc., produce interesting symmetrical effects. People found a new source of entertainment while peering through the kaleidoscope; they found the ever-changing patterns fascinating.#kernel n.#central or vital part; whole seed (as of corn). "Watson, buried within this tissue of lies there is a kernel of truth; when I find it, the mystery will be solved."#killjoy n.#grouch; spoilsport. At breakfast we had all been enjoying our bacon and eggs until that killjoy John started talking about how bad animal fats were for our health.#kindle v.#start a fire; inspire. One of the first things Ben learned in the Boy Scouts was how to kindle a fire by rubbing two dry sticks together. Her teacher's praise for her poetry kindled a spark of hope inside Maya.#kindred adj.#related; belonging to the same family. Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn were kindred spirits, born mischief makers who were always up to some new tomfoolery.#kinetic adj.#producing motion. Designers of the electric automobile find that their greatest obstacle lies in the development of light and efficient storage batteries, the source of the kinetic energy needed to propel the vehicle.#kleptomaniac n.#person who has a compulsive desire to steal. They discovered that the wealthy customer was a kleptomaniac when they caught her stealing some cheap trinkets.#knave n.#untrustworthy person; rogue; scoundrel. Any politician nicknamed Tricky Dick clearly has the reputation of a knave. knavery, n.#knit v.#contract into wrinkles; grow together. Whenever David worries, his brow knits in a frown. When he broke his leg, he sat around the house all day waiting for the bones to knit.#knoll n.#little round hill. Robert Louis Stevenson's grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach the grave site, you must climb uphill and walk a short distance along a marked path. #knotty adj.#intricate; difficult; tangled. What to Watson had been a knotty problem, to Sherlock Holmes was simplicity itself.#kudos n.#honor; glory; praise. The singer complacently received kudos from his entourage on his performance.#