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

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

Word Origin and History for keelson

keelson

also kelson, 1620s, altered (by influence of keel (n.)) from Middle English kelsyng (late 13c.), which probably is of Scandinavian origin (cf. Swedish kölsvin, Danish and Norwegian kjølsvin, from root of Old Norse kjölr (see keel (n.)) + swin "swine," used of timber (see swine). Or else from a similar Low German source.