careen

[ kuh-reen ]

/ kəˈrin /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR careen ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

(of a vehicle) to lean, sway, or tip to one side while in motion: The car careened around the corner.

(of a ship) to heel over or list.

career(def 7).

South Midland U.S. to lean or bend away from the vertical position: The barn was careening a little.

verb (used with object) Nautical.

to cause (a ship) to lie over on a side, as for repairs or cleaning; heave down.

to clean or repair (a ship lying on its side for the purpose).

to cause (a ship) to heel over or list, as by the force of a beam wind.

noun

a careening.

Nautical. the position of a careened ship.

RELATED WORDS

lurch, tilt, lean, sway, bend, pitch

Nearby words

care and maintenance, care attendant, care label, care package, care plan, careen, career, career girl, career woman, careerism, careerist

Origin of careen

1585–95 for def 9; < Middle French carine < Latin carīna keel, nutshell; akin to Greek káryon nut

Related formsca·reen·er, noun

Can be confusedcareen career

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for careen

We have a movement full of people who love their country and who are terrified of the course that it continues to careen along.
What are the Implications of DeMint's Exit?|David Frum|December 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But my ships are foul with the long passage, and are in need of a careen.
The Lost Continent|C. J. Cutcliffe Hyne
"We must run for shelter there, and careen her," said Levasseur.
Captain Blood|Rafael Sabatini
Of a sudden the wind lulled, and the Circassian righted from her careen.
The Pirate and The Three Cutters|Frederick Marryat

To heel over is the same as to careen, and must be distinguished from "keel over," which is to capsize.
English Synonyms and Antonyms|James Champlin Fernald
Two agents were at length sent into the interior to make discoveries, and Columbus profited by the occasion to careen his vessels.
Mercedes of Castile|J. Fenimore Cooper

British Dictionary definitions for careen

careen

/ (kəˈriːn) /

verb

to sway or cause to sway dangerously over to one side

(tr) nautical to cause (a vessel) to keel over to one side, esp in order to clean or repair its bottom

(intr) nautical (of a vessel) to keel over to one side

Derived Formscareenage, nouncareener, noun

Word Origin for careen

C17: from French carène keel, from Italian carena, from Latin carīna keel

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012