cave

American  

[keyv] / keɪv /

noun

1. a hollow in the earth, especially one opening more or less horizontally into a hill, mountain, etc.

2. a storage cellar, especially for wine.

3. English History. a secession, or a group of seceders, from a political party on some special question.

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verb (used with object)

caved, caving

1. to hollow out.

2. Mining.

   1. to cause (overlying material) to fall into a stope, sublevel, or the like.

   2. to cause (supports, as stulls or sets) to collapse beneath overlying material.

   3. to fill (a stope or the like) with caved-in material.

      sub-level caving.

verb (used without object)

caved, caving

1. to cave in.

verb phrase

1. cave in

   1. to fall in; collapse.

   2. to cause to fall in or collapse.

   3. Informal. to yield; submit; surrender.

      The opposition caved in before our superior arguments.

cave ¹ British  

/ keɪv /

noun

1. an underground hollow with access from the ground surface or from the sea, often found in limestone areas and on rocky coastlines

2. history a secession or a group seceding from a political party on some issue See Adullamite

3. (modifier) living in caves

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verb

1. (tr) to hollow out

cave ² British  

/ ˈkeɪvɪ /

noun

1. guard or lookout (esp in the phrase keep cave )

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1. watch out!

cave Scientific  

/ kāv /

1. A naturally occurring underground hollow or passage, especially one with an opening to the surface of the Earth. Caves can form through a variety of processes, including the dissolution of limestone by flowing water, the differential cooling of volcanic magma (which occurs when the outside surface of the lava cools, but the inside continues to flow downwards, forming a hollow tube), or the action of wind and waves along a rocky coast.

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Other Word Forms

• cavelike adjective

Etymology

Origin of cave

1175–1225; Middle English < Old French < Late Latin cava (feminine singular), Latin cava, neuter plural of cavum hole, noun use of neuter of cavus hollow

Example Sentences

Entering the installation, he hopes, will resemble the feeling of entering a womb or a cave.

From Los Angeles Times

Ice caves are one such extreme habitat, home to diverse microorganisms that scientists are only beginning to understand.

From Science Daily

In the area with cold plunging and a sauna, the walls undulate with patterns that change color, designed to evoke arctic caves and volcanic rock.

From Los Angeles Times

Mom and Dad didn’t usually cave in to Katherine like that.

From Literature

Nim yelled—so loud and so often that Fred went to sulk in his cave in case it was his fault.

From Literature

Related Words

• cavern
• grotto