[Later spelling of kay, KEY sb.2, after F. quai. The pron. is that of key; cf. however quots. 1723 and 1850.] An artificial bank or landing-place, built of stone or other solid material, lying along or projecting into a navigable water for convenience of loading and unloading ships.
1696. Phillips (ed. 5), Quay or Kay, a broad Space pav’d upon the Shore of a River, Haven or Port, for the loading and unloading of Goods.
1723. Swift, Stella at Wood-Park, 46. But now arrives the dismal day, She must return to Omond-quay.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1766), II. 382. Repairs and improvement of the ancient quay.
1800. Colquhoun, Comm. & Pol. Thames, i. 26. The small Vessels land their Goods at the Quays.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., xiv. If … I went down unto the quay [rhyme to-day], And found thee lying in the port.
1884. Pae, Eustace, xviii. 233. A small quay ran along the north of the little harbour.
b. attrib. and Comb., as quay-berth, -charges, -dues, -edge, -head, -holder, -labo(u)rer, -like adj., -man, -master, -room, -side (hence -sider), -space, -stone, -wall, etc.
1798. R. Dodd, Lett. on Port Lond., 7. Regular quay-walls on both sides the river. Ibid., 9. The legal quay-holders and wharfingers.
1820. Keats, Lamia, I. 224. His galley now Grated the quay-stones.
c. 1820. S. Rogers, Italy, Como, 28. A quay-like scene, glittering and full of life.
1862. Ansted, Channel Isl., I. iii. (ed. 2), 40. The quay-room was extremely narrow and restricted.
1889. P. H. Emerson, Eng. Idyls, 128. Paddling to a quay-head, they landed.
Hence Quay v.1 trans., to provide with a quay. Also Quayed (kīd) ppl. a.
1799. W. Tooke, View Russian Emp., I. 256. The whole extent of the left-hand bank, Catharine the second caused to be quayed with granite.
1807. J. Barlow, Columb., iv. 592. Quay the calm ports and dike the lawns I lave.
1857. Ecclesiologist, XVIII. 175. The quayed and purified Thames.
