ken

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A house, especially a den of thieves.

Register: slang

Examples

Ben mort, shall you and I heave a bough, mill a ken, or nip a bung, and then we'll couch a hogshead under the ruffmans, and there you shall wap with me, and I'll niggle with you.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “ken” mean?

A house, especially a den of thieves.

Is “ken” formal or informal?

ken is generally slang.