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.

---

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

---

verb

1. (tr) to hollow out

cave ² British  

/ ˈkeɪvɪ /

noun

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

---

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.

---

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

Although there was no roof to cave in on him, Jonathan put his arms over his head as he fell.

From Literature

Thomas Quarry I sits within the raised coastal formations of the Rabat-Casablanca littoral, an area internationally recognized for its remarkably complete record of Plio-Pleistocene shorelines, dunes, and cave systems.

From Science Daily

The trouble was, not many people wanted to hire a handyman whose own house was about to cave in.

From Literature

Then, hunger sated, it would return to its cave for a long nap.

From Literature

But there are also nooks such as a cave that, while not previewed at a recent media event, will allow visitors to view elephants on their level.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cavern
• grotto