The Rice University Neologisms Database

To unlock the elevators at Sid Richardson College. Sid Richardson College at Rice University has two main elevators that are locked. Whenever a student forgets his or her personal key, he or she asks another student if they can use their key to unlock the elevator for them. This inquiry is common enough to warrant its own verb, “key”. “Key” was derived from the noun “key” which is an essential part of this action. In context, “key me up” is a request for someone else to unlock the elevators.