key of the street
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An imaginary instrument said to be possessed by any one locked out of doors.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “key of the street” mean?
An imaginary instrument said to be possessed by any one locked out of doors.
Is “key of the street” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.