keel over

British  

verb

1. to turn upside down; capsize

2. informal (intr) to collapse suddenly

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keel over Idioms  

1. Collapse, as if in a faint; also, faint. For example, When she heard the awful news, she keeled over. This term alludes to a vessel rolling on its keel and capsizing. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

Both men were overcome with emotion during the ceremony, in tears, and Rinderknech keeled over and had to be helped into a chair.

From Barron's

It’s the humidity, which has spiked to over 80%, that has them feeling ready to keel over between sets.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I feel fine; I’ll probably keel over after I hang up the phone,” he joked.

From Los Angeles Times

When she was 13 years old, Ms Thomas said she remembered "keeling over in agony" at the back of the classroom.

From BBC

"When I'm older, when the body's keeled over a bit, I expect I'll pick up where I left off," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• pass out