keelson

[ kel-suh n, keel- ]

/ ˈkɛl sən, ˈkil- /

noun Nautical.

any of various fore-and-aft structural members lying above or parallel to the keel in the bottom of a hull.

Nearby words

keeley, keelhaul, keelie, keeling islands, keelless, keelson, keelung, keen, keen about, be, keene, keene's cement

Origin of keelson

1605–15; < Low German kielswin literally, keel swine (sense relation obscure) < Scandinavian; compare Dutch kolsvijn, Danish kølsvin, Swedish kölsvin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for keelson

A nautical term for the holes cut in the flooring in a ship above the keelson, to allow water to drain to the pumps.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 16, Slice 6|Various
Be careful that the ends of the boards are nailed to the keelson at the opening.
Harper's Young People, February 1, 1881|Various
Saw out the mould carefully, and in the centre of the bottom cut a mortise two inches by one-half for the keelson to fit in.
The Boy Craftsman|A. Neely Hall
And besides, he was rigged out from main truck to keelson in the nobbiest clothes that ever saw a fo'castle.
Some Rambling Notes of an Idle Excursion|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

A sudden shift of the rudder shook the Vulcan from peak to keelson.
The Cruise of the Dry Dock|T. S. Stribling

British Dictionary definitions for keelson

keelson

kelson

/ (ˈkɛlsən, ˈkiːl-) /

noun

a longitudinal beam fastened to the keel of a vessel for strength and stiffness

Word Origin for keelson

C17: probably from Low German kielswin, keel swine, ultimately of Scandinavian origin

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