Skeleton key

Posted by Hanale on July 18, 2010 at 13:46

Why is a skeleton key so called? Possibilities are that it is a key which has been altered to a bare minimum in order to bypass the wards of a lock; or the shape of the keyholes for old lever type locks which resemble a skull; or it is a key which can unlock all locks in a house, even to the closet or cupboard containing the skeleton.

• Skeleton key ESC 19/July/10