keel
1- Nautical. a central fore-and-aft structural member in the bottom of a hull, extending from the stem to the sternpost and having the floors or frames attached to it, usually at right angles: sometimes projecting from the bottom of the hull to provide stability.
- Literary. a ship or boat.
- a part corresponding to a ship's keel in some other structure, as in a dirigible balloon.
- (initial capital letter) Astronomy. the constellation Carina.
- Botany, Zoology. a longitudinal ridge, as on a leaf or bone; a carina.
- Also called brace molding. Architecture. a projecting molding the profile of which consists of two ogees symmetrically disposed about an arris or fillet.
- to turn or upset so as to bring the wrong side or part uppermost.
- keel over,
- to capsize or overturn.
- to fall as in a faint: Several cadets keeled over from the heat during the parade.
- on an even keel, in a state of balance; steady; steadily: The affairs of state are seldom on an even keel for long.
Origin of keel
1keel
3- to cool, especially by stirring.
Origin of keel
3Related Words for keeled
plunge, topple, collapse, founder, tumble, upset, drop, slump, swoon, pitch, capsize, faint, overturnExamples from the Web for keeled
Contemporary Examples of keeled
The pressure was all too much for one soldier in Norway today, who keeled over as Charles surveyed the ranks.
Historical Examples of keeled
Like the Keeled Lizard it has the ability to shed a very lively, wriggling tail.
PathfinderAlan Douglas
The man threw out his hands and keeled over like a stuck pig.
The HighgraderWilliam MacLeod Raine
I remember one old fellow that we put eleven into, before he keeled over.
Beautiful JoeMarshall Saunders
They danced and cavorted, they yelled and keeled over, and laughed.
The Prairie SchoonerWilliam Francis Hooker
I am lose my pension; and now I shall be keeled by zese war parties!
The War-Trail FortJames Willard Schultz
keel
1- one of the main longitudinal structural members of a vessel to which the frames are fastened and that may extend into the water to provide lateral stability
- on an even keel well-balanced; steady
- any structure corresponding to or resembling the keel of a ship, such as the central member along the bottom of an aircraft fuselage
- biology a ridgelike part; carina
- a poetic word for ship
- to capsize
Word Origin for keel
keel
2- a flat-bottomed vessel, esp one used for carrying coal
- a measure of coal equal to about 21 tons
Word Origin for keel
keel
3- red ochre stain used for marking sheep, timber, etc
- to mark with this stain
Word Origin for keel
keel
4- an archaic word for cool
Word Origin for keel
keel
5- a fatal disease of young ducks, characterized by intestinal bleeding caused by Salmonella bacteria
Word Origin for keel
Word Origin and History for keeled
keel
"lowest timber of a ship or boat," mid-14c., probably from a Scandinavian source, cf. Old Norse kjölr "keel," Danish kjøl, Swedish köl, from Proto-Germanic *keluz, of uncertain origin. Some etymologists say this is unconnected with the keel that means "a ship, barge," which also is the root of Middle Dutch kiel "ship," Old English ceol "ship's prow," Old High German kiel, German Kiel "ship," but the two words have influenced each other. Barnhart, however, calls them cognates. This other word is said to be from Proto-Germanic *keula, from PIE *geul- "rounded vessel." Keel still is used locally in England and U.S. for "flat-bottomed boat," especially on the Tyne.
keel
1838, American English, from keel (n.). To keel over (1876) is from the nautical image of a ship turning keel-up. Related: Keeled; keeling.
keel
"to keep cool," from Middle English kelen, from Old English celan "to cool," from col "cool" (see cool). The form kele (from Old English colian) was used by Shakespeare, but it later was assimilated with the adjective form into the modern verb cool. Cognate with Dutch koelen, Old High German chuolen, German kühlen.
Idioms and Phrases with keeled
keel
In addition to the idiom beginning with keel
- keel over
also see:
- on an even keel