Collocations for key - noun
1. for a door
ADJECTIVE
master,
skeleton
duplicate, spare
apartment (esp. AmE), car, door, house, ignition, room, etc.
She hides a front door key in a flowerpot.
duplicate, spare
apartment (esp. AmE), car, door, house, ignition, room, etc.
She hides a front door key in a flowerpot.
… OF KEYS
bunch,
ring (esp. AmE),
set
a large bunch of keys
He fished a ring of keys out of his pocket.
a set of car keys
a large bunch of keys
He fished a ring of keys out of his pocket.
a set of car keys
VERB + key
turn
She turned the key in the lock.
She turned the key in the lock.
insert,
put in,
slide in
I slid the key into the lock and went in.
I slid the key into the lock and went in.
remove,
take out
use
She must have used a key to get in.
use
She must have used a key to get in.
leave
She left a key with the neighbours/neighbors.
She left a key with the neighbours/neighbors.
lock in
I'd accidentally locked the keys in my car.
I'd accidentally locked the keys in my car.
key + VERB
open,
unlock
You need a key to open the garage.
You need a key to open the garage.
lock
turn
They heard a key turn in the lock.
turn
They heard a key turn in the lock.
jangle,
jingle
The sound of keys jangling caught her attention.
The sound of keys jangling caught her attention.
PREPOSITION
with a/the key
You have to close it with the key.
You have to close it with the key.
key for
Robbie didn't have a key for these doors.
Robbie didn't have a key for these doors.
key to
the key to the front door
the key to the front door
2. on a computer
ADJECTIVE
Alt,
arrow,
backspace,
control,
delete,
enter,
escape,
function,
return,
shift,
etc.
hot (= a key that you can press to perform a set of operations quickly), short-cut
F1 is the short-cut key for calling up help.
hot (= a key that you can press to perform a set of operations quickly), short-cut
F1 is the short-cut key for calling up help.
VERB + key
hit,
hold down,
press,
punch,
tap
Hold down the Alt key while pressing the arrow keys.
Hold down the Alt key while pressing the arrow keys.
release
3. decisive factor
4. in music
PREPOSITION
in a/the key
What key is it in?
Can we try it in a lower key?
What key is it in?
Can we try it in a lower key?
key of
the key of G major
the key of G major