Prepositionary
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KEEN

She was never keen (i.e. enthusiastic) about fox hunts. They were keen (i.e. eager) for the morning’s first news.

“He is very keen (i.e. sharp) of hearing.” (Frederick T. Wood, English Prepositional Idioms)

“I wasn’t particularly keen on (i.e. interested in) children — and I’m still not.” (Princess Anne, American Press)

You don’t seem very keen to try on your new clothes?

KEEP (VV)

“The relationship between all the living and non-living parts of the Earth organism are a complex of self-stabilizing systems with the inbuilt goal of keeping (i.e. maintaining) planetary conditions at an optimum for the maintenance of life.” (Robert Muse)

There’s an enormous backup system working to keep a mitochondrial defect from harming the individual. (W. Davis Parker, pediatric neurologist, Discover mag.)

“A man should keep his friendship in constant repair.” (Samuel Johnston)

keep your bananas in the refrigerator; they won’t ripen so fast.

We expect you to keep on with (i.e. persist in) the good work.

keep to the subject, please!

I don’t think you can keep up with me (i.e. match my speed).

note: As for all VV (versatile verbs), they can be followed by a variety of prepositions; whichever best describes the action that follows.

KEY (N)

love, the key of hearts, will open the closest coffers.” (Fuller, Universal Oxford Dictionary)

“Poetry is the key to the hieroglyphics of nature.” (Hare, Universal Oxford Dictionary)

KEY (V)

Why don’t you key (i.e. focus) onto that target?

KIBITZ

Never kibitz (i.e. give unasked advice) from a standing position, because that confuses the players.

“Globally-linked computers . . allow investigators to collaborate or kibitz on (i.e. trade information about) experiments while continents apart.” (Gary Stix, Scientific American mag., Dec. ‘94)

KILL (V)

Some men kill just for the thrill of it.

“A computer model suggests that the AIDS virus kills us with sheer diversity, throwing more virals strains at our immune system than it can handle.” (Rachel Nowak, Discover mag., 1992)

“Peptide antibiotics are rapid response troops, killing bacteria within minutes of encounter. They line every body surface — eyes, skin, lungs, tongue, intestinal tract.” (Josie Glausiusz, Discover mag., Nov. ’98)

“We kill more Americans with our mines than we do anyone else.” (Gen. Alfred Gray, Time mag., Aug. 11, ‘97)

KNACK

There’s a knack in using the old-fashioned fountain pen.

KNOW

“Our present computers are less complex than the brain of an earthworm, a species not known for its intellectual powers.” (Stephen Hawking, world-famous scientist, London Daily Telegraph, Jan.,2000)

“The Orchidaceae (orchids) constitute the largest, most advanced flower family known to science. Experts estimate there are 25,000 species.” (Ogden Tanner, Smithsonian mag./Reader’s Digest)

KEEN

She was never keen (i.e. enthusiastic) about fox hunts. They were keen (i.e. eager) for the morning’s first news.

“He is very keen (i.e. sharp) of hearing.” (Frederick T. Wood, English Prepositional Idioms)

“I wasn’t particularly keen on (i.e. interested in) children — and I’m still not.” (Princess Anne, American Press)

You don’t seem very keen to try on your new clothes?

KEEP (VV)

“The relationship between all the living and non-living parts of the Earth organism are a complex of self-stabilizing systems with the inbuilt goal of keeping (i.e. maintaining) planetary conditions at an optimum for the maintenance of life.” (Robert Muse)

There’s an enormous backup system working to keep a mitochondrial defect from harming the individual. (W. Davis Parker, pediatric neurologist, Discover mag.)

“A man should keep his friendship in constant repair.” (Samuel Johnston)

keep your bananas in the refrigerator; they won’t ripen so fast.

We expect you to keep on with (i.e. persist in) the good work.

keep to the subject, please!

I don’t think you can keep up with me (i.e. match my speed).

note: As for all VV (versatile verbs), they can be followed by a variety of prepositions; whichever best describes the action that follows.

KEY (N)

love, the key of hearts, will open the closest coffers.” (Fuller, Universal Oxford Dictionary)

“Poetry is the key to the hieroglyphics of nature.” (Hare, Universal Oxford Dictionary)

KEY (V)

Why don’t you key (i.e. focus) onto that target?

KIBITZ

Never kibitz (i.e. give unasked advice) from a standing position, because that confuses the players.

“Globally-linked computers . . allow investigators to collaborate or kibitz on (i.e. trade information about) experiments while continents apart.” (Gary Stix, Scientific American mag., Dec. ‘94)

KILL (V)

Some men kill just for the thrill of it.

“A computer model suggests that the AIDS virus kills us with sheer diversity, throwing more virals strains at our immune system than it can handle.” (Rachel Nowak, Discover mag., 1992)

“Peptide antibiotics are rapid response troops, killing bacteria within minutes of encounter. They line every body surface — eyes, skin, lungs, tongue, intestinal tract.” (Josie Glausiusz, Discover mag., Nov. ’98)

“We kill more Americans with our mines than we do anyone else.” (Gen. Alfred Gray, Time mag., Aug. 11, ‘97)

KIN

KIND

KNACK

There’s a knack in using the old-fashioned fountain pen.

KNOW

“Our present computers are less complex than the brain of an earthworm, a species not known for its intellectual powers.” (Stephen Hawking, world-famous scientist, London Daily Telegraph, Jan.,2000)

“The Orchidaceae (orchids) constitute the largest, most advanced flower family known to science. Experts estimate there are 25,000 species.” (Ogden Tanner, Smithsonian mag./Reader’s Digest)

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