church key

See also: churchkey

English

WOTD – 4 December 2011

A church key.

Another church key.

Alternative forms

• churchkey

Etymology

See Wikipedia at church key § Etymology.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈtʃəːtʃ.ki/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈtʃɝtʃ.ki/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

church key (plural church keys)

1. An opener, typically with both can opener and bottle opener features, having a triangular tip that pierces the can.
   • 2008, Ted J. Gouin, Coco Colored Boy, page 36:

     Nobody was killed, but a guy from the rival gang was supposed to have had his eyes popped out with a church key.

   • 2009, Jim Lehrer, Eureka: A Novel, page 81:

     " […] Once you didn't need a church key to open a can of beer much anymore, they didn't need me to go around handing out church keys anymore either."

   • 2011, Bobby Mercer, ManVentions: From Cruise Control to Cordless Drills, pages 58–59:

     The triangle end of the church key was the most important part in the early days. To get into the cans, drinkers would create two triangular Vs in the top of the can (opposite each other to let air in so the beer would pour out easily) and away they went. The other end of the church key was used to pop off the “crown cork” that is still in use to seal glass beer bottles today.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see church,‎ key.

Hypernyms

• opener

Translations

can opener having a triangular tip that pierces the can