keck

A child kecked at the taste of the bitter medicine.

Definition

1. Verb (intransitive):

   • To retch or gag: "keck" means to make a sound or movement as if about to vomit, often due to disgust or revulsion.
   • To feel nauseated: It can also refer to experiencing a strong feeling of disgust that leads to physical revulsion.

2. Noun (rare):

   • A retching sound or movement: The act of kecking, or the noise made during such an act.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • The smell was so foul that she began to keck uncontrollably. (She gagged due to the disgusting odor.)
  • He kecked at the sight of the spoiled food. (He retched in disgust upon seeing the rotten meal.)

• Noun:

  • A loud keck echoed from the kitchen. (A retching sound was heard from the kitchen.)

Advanced Usage

• "to keck at something": to show strong disgust or revulsion toward something, often physically.
  • The children kecked at the idea of eating insects. (The children gagged in disgust at the thought.)

Variants and Related Words

• Kecking (n, adj): the act of retching; causing retching.
  • The kecking noise was unbearable. (The sound of retching was difficult to tolerate.)

Synonyms

• Retch: to make a sound or movement as if vomiting.
• Gag: to choke or heave as if about to vomit.
• Heave: to rise and fall in a nauseated way.

Phrasal Verbs

• Keck up: to vomit or bring up something from the stomach.
  • He kecked up the bad milk after drinking it. (He vomited the spoiled milk.)

Related Idioms

• Keck at the thought: to be extremely disgusted by an idea.
  • She kecked at the thought of eating raw fish. (The idea made her feel like vomiting.)