kid

Etymology 1

From Middle English kide, from Old Norse kið (“young goat”), from Proto-Germanic *kidją, *kittīną (“goatling, kid”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *gʰaydn-, *ǵʰaydn- (“goat”) or Proto-Indo-European *gidʰ- (“kid, goatling, little goat”). Compare Swedish and Danish kid, German Kitz and Kitze, Albanian kedh and kec. Sense of child since 1590s as cant, since 1840s in informal use.

noun

1. A young goat.
   I went, indeed, intending to kill a kid out of my own flock; and bring it home and dress it; but as I was going I saw a she-goat lying down in the shade, and two young kids sitting by her. 1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe: Friday's Education
   He treated the oxen like they didn't exist, but he treated the goat kid like a puppy.
2. Of a female goat, the state of being pregnant: in kid.
   "Those little ones there, probably no more than ten, fifteen kilos," he says, pointing out three goats about the same size as the cattle dog, "they would be in kid." 2008, Monte Dwyer, Red In The Centre: The Australian Bush Through Urban Eyes, Monyer Pty Ltd, page 200
3. Kidskin.
   I have three pairs of kid gloves. I've had kid mittens before from the Christmas tree, but never real kid gloves with five fingers. 1912, Jean Webster, Daddy-Long-Legs: Letter 3
4. (uncountable) The meat of a young goat.
5. A young antelope.
6. (informal) A child (usually), teenager, or young adult; a juvenile.
   She's a kid. It's normal for her to have imaginary friends.
   Our kids are why all of you are in this room today. Our kids are why you wake up wondering how you'll make a difference and go to bed thinking about tomorrow's lesson plan. Our kids are why you walk into that classroom every day even when you're not getting the support, or the pay, or the respect that you deserve - because you believe that every child should have a chance to succeed; that every child can be taught. July 5 2007, Barack Obama, Remarks of Senator Barack Obama to the National Education Association Annual Meeting
   Network Rail is now the biggest kid in the playground, so if it doesn't want to play it doesn't have to, and the trees still fall down every time someone gives a low pressure system a name. 2019 October, Ian Walmsley, “Cleaning up”, in Modern Railways, page 44
7. (informal) A person whose childhood took place in a particular time period or area.
   Only '90s kids will remember this toy.
   He's been living in Los Angeles for years now, but he's a Florida kid.
8. (informal) One's son or daughter, regardless of age.
   He was their youngest kid.
9. (in the vocative) Used as a form of address for a child, teenager or young adult.
   No, kid, you didn't do anything wrong; they did!
   Here's looking at you, kid. 1942, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, Howard Koch, Casablanca, spoken by Rick (Humphrey Bogart)
10. (colloquial) An inexperienced person or one in a junior position.
    2007 June 3, Eben Moglen, speech, Freeing the Mind: Free Software and the end of proprietary culture, I remember as a kid lawyer working at IBM in the summer of 1983, when a large insurance company in Hartford, Connecticut, for the first time asked to buy 12000 IBM PCs in a single order.
11. (dated) A deception; an act of kidding somebody.
12. (nautical) A small wooden mess tub in which sailors received their food.
    peaceable, well-disposed chaps as ever eat duff (dough) out of a kid 1830, James Fenimore Cooper, The Water-witch, Or, The Skimmer of the Seas
13. (vulgar, slang, usually in the plural) semen, ejaculate.

verb

1. (transitive, colloquial) To make a fool of (someone).
2. (transitive, colloquial) To dupe or deceive (someone).
   They are all very suspicious about the wording. I am always thinking up new ways of kidding them. 1965, James Holledge, What Makes a Call Girl?, London: Horwitz Publications, page 76
3. (transitive, colloquial) To make a joke with (someone).
4. (intransitive) Of a goat, to give birth.
   They can kid twice a year if things are right, and they often throw twins and triplets. 2008, Monte Dwyer, Red In The Centre: The Australian Bush Through Urban Eyes, Monyer Pty Ltd, page 200
5. (intransitive, colloquial) To joke.
   You're kidding!
   Only kidding

Etymology 2

Compare Welsh cidysen.

noun

1. A fagot; a bundle of heath and furze.
   Shake down into the bottom of your Ponds good long Kids or Faggots of brush-wood. 1611, Gervase Markham, Countrey Contentments