kelly

¹

[ kel-ee ]

noun

, Slang.

, plural kel·lies, kel·lys.

1. a man's stiff hat, as a derby or straw skimmer.

Kelly

²

[ kel-ee ]

noun

1. Ellsworth, 1923–2015, U.S. painter and sculptor.
2. Emmett (Leo), 1898–1979, U.S. circus clown and pantomimist.
3. Eu·gene Cur·ran [yoo-, jeen, , kur, -, uh, n, kuhr, -], Gene, 1912–96, U.S. dancer, choreographer, actor, and director.
4. George (Edward), 1887–1974, U.S. playwright and actor.
5. Grace Patricia Princess Grace of Monaco, 1929–82, U.S. actress: married Prince Rainier III of Monaco 1956.
6. Walt, 1913–73, U.S. cartoonist.
7. Also Kellie. a male or female given name.

Kelly

/ ˈkɛlɪ /

noun

1. KellyGene19121996MUSDANCE: dancerDANCE: choreographerFILMS AND TV: actorFILMS AND TV: director Gene, full name Eugene Curran Kelly. 1912–96, US dancer, choreographer, film actor, and director. His many films include An American in Paris (1951) and Singin' in the Rain (1952)
2. KellyGrace19291982FUSFILMS AND TV: actress Grace. 1929–82, US film actress. Her films included High Noon (1952) and High Society (1956). She married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956 and died following a car crash
3. KellyNed18551880MAustralianCRIME AND POLICING: horse thiefCRIME AND POLICING: cattle thiefMISC: bushranger Ned. 1855–80, Australian horse and cattle thief and bushranger, active in Victoria: captured by the police and hanged
4. game as Ned Kelly or as game as Ned Kelly
   See game 1

Word History and Origins

Origin of kelly¹

First recorded in 1910–15; generic use of surname Kelly, taken as representative of a stage Irishman wearing such a derby

Example Sentences

The “X Factor” alum, who like his former bandmates pursued a solo musical career after One Direction disbanded in 2015, was set to return to television as a celebrity mentor for the Netflix competition series “Building the Band” alongside “X Factor” judge Nicole Scherzinger, Destiny’s Child alum Kelly Rowland and host AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys.

From Los Angeles Times

But after six weeks of trying to arrange sessions, Kelly asked for a refund which was eventually returned.

From BBC

Kelly Tanner from Blackwood, Caerphilly, arranged for her nine-year old "football-mad" daughter Elen to have a taster session, before she then paid £300 for 10 sessions.

From BBC

“When I was 6, 7, 8 years old, I used to dress up as Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills during the halftime shows,” he recalls.

From Los Angeles Times

“I’d dress up in my old Buff helmet and my Jim Kelly jersey, and I’d do commentating like I was doing a mid-game interview.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blue-green
• olive