keel

1
[ keel ]
See synonyms for keel on Thesaurus.com
noun
  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.

  2. Literary. a ship or boat.

  1. a part corresponding to a ship's keel in some other structure, as in a dirigible balloon.

  2. Keel, Astronomy. the constellation Carina.

  3. Botany, Zoology. a longitudinal ridge, as on a leaf or bone; a carina.

  4. Also called brace molding. Architecture. a projecting molding the profile of which consists of two ogees symmetrically disposed about an arris or fillet.

verb (used with or without object)
  1. to turn or upset so as to bring the wrong side or part uppermost.

Verb Phrases
  1. keel over,

    • to capsize or overturn.

    • to fall as in a faint: Several cadets keeled over from the heat during the parade.

Idioms about keel

  1. 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

1
First recorded in 1325–75; 1895–1900 for def. 8; Middle English kele, from Old Norse kjǫlr; cognate with Old English cēol “keel, ship”; see keel2

Other words from keel

  • keeled, adjective

Other definitions for keel (2 of 4)

keel2
[ keel ]

nounBritish Dialect.
  1. the amount of coal carried by one keelboat.

  1. a measure of coal equivalent to 21 long tons and 4 hundredweight (21.5 metric tons).

Origin of keel

2
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English kele, from Middle Dutch kiel “ship”; cognate with Old English cēol “ship,” German kiel “ship” (obsolete); see keel1

Other definitions for keel (3 of 4)

keel3
[ keel ]

verb (used with object)British Dialect.
  1. to cool, especially by stirring.

Origin of keel

3
First recorded before 900; Middle English kelen, Old English cēlan “to be cool”; akin to cool

Other definitions for keel (4 of 4)

keel4
[ keel ]

noun
  1. a red ocher stain used for marking sheep, lumber, etc.; ruddle.

Origin of keel

4
First recorded in 1475–85; earlier keyle (north and Scots dialect); compare Scots Gaelic cìl (itself perhaps from English )

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use keel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for keel (1 of 5)

keel1

/ (kiːl) /


noun
  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

  2. on an even keel well-balanced; steady

  1. any structure corresponding to or resembling the keel of a ship, such as the central member along the bottom of an aircraft fuselage

  2. biology a ridgelike part; carina

  3. a poetic word for ship

verb
  1. to capsize

Origin of keel

1
C14: from Old Norse kjölr; related to Middle Dutch kiel, keel ²

Derived forms of keel

  • keel-less, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for keel (2 of 5)

keel2

/ (kiːl) /


nounEastern British dialect
  1. a flat-bottomed vessel, esp one used for carrying coal

  2. a measure of coal equal to about 21 tons

Origin of keel

2
C14 kele, from Middle Dutch kiel; compare Old English cēol ship

British Dictionary definitions for keel (3 of 5)

keel3

/ (kiːl) /


noun
  1. red ochre stain used for marking sheep, timber, etc

verb(tr)
  1. to mark with this stain

Origin of keel

3
Old English cēlan, from cōl cool

British Dictionary definitions for keel (4 of 5)

keel4

/ (kiːl) /


verb
  1. an archaic word for cool

Origin of keel

4
C15: probably from Scottish Gaelic cīl

British Dictionary definitions for keel (5 of 5)

keel5

/ (kiːl) /


noun
  1. a fatal disease of young ducks, characterized by intestinal bleeding caused by Salmonella bacteria

Origin of keel

5
C19: from keel 1; see keel over

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with keel

keel

In addition to the idiom beginning with keel

  • keel over

also see:

  • on an even keel

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.