The Facts on File Dictionary of Allusions - Green Valley High School

presidential campaign of 1840, between William
Henry Harrison and Martin Van Buren. One of
the features of the ultimately successful campaign
to get Harrison elected was the rolling of huge
balls made of paper and buckskin and decorated
with campaigning slogans substantial distances
through cities and the countryside (for example,
from Cleveland, Ohio, to Lexington, Kentucky,
and from Kentucky to Baltimore, Mary land). Supporters
propelling the balls onward were encouraged
to “keep the ball rolling—on to Washington!” I
know we’re all tired but we need to keep the ball rolling.
keep up with the Joneses (jonzbz) To keep level
in status with one’s neighbors. <strong>The</strong> allusion is to a
comic strip called “Keeping up with the Joneses—
by Pop” drawn by Arthur R. Momand for the New
York Globe between 1913 and 1941, and allegedly
inspired by the artist’s own efforts to maintain his
social standing with his real- life neighbors in an
affl uent New York suburb. “<strong>The</strong> adverts scold us
and cajole us and wheedle us and fawn us to keep
up with the Joneses” (Stewart Lamont, In Good
Faith, 1989).
Kelly, Ned See ned kelly.
Kemo Sabe See lone ranger.
Ken See barbie.
Kenobi, Obi- Wan See obi- wan kenobi.
Kent, Clark See superman.
Ketch, Jack See jack ketch.
Keynesian (keenzeebn, kaynzeebn) Of or relating
to the theories of British economist John
Keystone Cops
Maynard Keynes (1883–1946). Central to these
was the idea that governments need to maintain
control of monetary policy in order to control the
economy. He also argued in favor of higher government
spending to counter mass unemployment,
a stance that was opposed by supporters of
a free market. “Local government was a crucial
element of the social- demo cratic or Keynesian
welfare state so laboriously constructed after the
war” (James Anderson and Allan Cochrane, eds.,
Politics in Transition, 1989).
keys of the kingdom <strong>The</strong> keys to heaven or more
generally any means of access to authority or privilege.
<strong>The</strong> phrase appears in Matthew 16:18–19,
where Christ addresses Peter: “And I say also unto
thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will
build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the
keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven.” <strong>The</strong> symbol of crossed keys subsequently
became an emblem of the papacy, and
Peter is commonly depicted as the doorkeeper of
heaven. Winning a seat in the Senate seemed to him like
being given the keys of the kingdom, but reality turned
out to be very different.
Keystone Cops (keeston) A comically incompetent
outfi t of some kind, especially people in
authority. <strong>The</strong> allusion is to the Keystone Comedies
made in the silent movie era by Mack Sennett
(1880–1960), the fi rst of which appeared in 1913.
<strong>The</strong> Keystone Cops themselves were a group of
hilariously inept policemen in ill- fi tting uniforms
played by a talented cast of stunt performers who
at one point included Charlie Chaplin (see chaplinesque).
Highlights of the Keystone Comedies
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