keel1
/kiːl
/noun
1The lengthwise timber or steel structure along the base of a ship, supporting the framework of the whole, in some vessels extended downwards as a ridge to increase stability.Support the keel with timber blocking to take most of the weight of the hull....
- Even nautical archaeology has made great gains, for many of the waterfront structures incorporated broken-up vessel fragments, hull planking, keels, a prow, a side rudder, ribs, a mast partner.
- Again the men were coerced under once more, and made to endure yet another rake along the keel of the ship, where lurked the treacherous gatherings of barnacles.
Synonyms
base, bottom, bottom side, underside
1.1 literary A ship: to buy a new keel with my gold, And fill her with such things as she may hold
2 Zoology A ridge along the breastbone of many birds to which the flight muscles are attached; the carina.The sternum, or breastbone, bears a prominent keel where the flight muscles attach....
- M. gui's sternum didn't have a keel upon which large flight muscles could be attached.
- It has a distinct fold of flesh, marked by a line of hair that runs like a keel along its belly.
3 Botany A prow-shaped pair of petals present in flowers of the pea family.Within-flower transfer of pollen from anthers to stigma was achieved by depressing the keel petal of newly opened flowers using fine forceps....
- The reproductive organs are enclosed within the keel petals.
- As in other specimens of D. zenos, a ventral keel is not present.
verb [no object] (keel over)
1(Of a boat or ship) turn over on its side; capsize: it’s going to take more wind to make this boat keel over...
- It proved the final blow for the Neptune; the ship slowly keeled over and sank.
- Finally in October, it became obvious that they were going to lose the ship as it had keeled over, and was listing to port.
- After being given a crash-course in rowing, my first hurdle was to get into the boat without it keeling over.
Synonyms
capsize, turn turtle, turn upside down, turn topsy-turvy, founder, list, heel over, lean over;
overbalance, topple over, overturn, turn over, tip over, fall over;
Scottish & Northern Irish cowp
1.1 informal (Of a person or thing) fall over; collapse: a wardrobe was about to keel over on top of him...
- Soon enough we were in the hallway, keeling over holding our sides.
- I crossed to the other side and found Ewen keeled over on the ground.
- Drew has keeled over to one side of the sofa and is laughing hysterically into the cushions.
Synonyms
collapse, faint, fall down in a faint, pass out, black out, lose consciousness
literary swoon
Derivatives
keeled
[in combination]: a deep-keeled yacht
keelless
- Physically, breeding stock should have keelless breasts and broad backs.
- This is something you simply cannot do in a keelless flat bottom boat.
- The carapace (upper shell) is olive to dark brown to almost black, patternless, smooth and keelless.
Origin
Middle English: from Old Norse kjǫlr, of Germanic origin.
Rhymes
keel2
/kiːl/noun British
A flat-bottomed boat of a kind formerly used on the Rivers Tyne and Wear for loading ships carrying coal.The original Tyne keel was clinker-built but later types were of carvel build....
- The earliest recorded use of Keels for transporting coal on the Tyne is in the early 1300's.
Origin
Middle English: from Middle Low German kēl, Middle Dutch kiel 'ship, boat'.