Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense keels, present participle keeling, past tense, past participle keeled
1. countable noun
The keel of a boat is the long, specially shaped piece of wood or steel along the bottom of it.
2.
See to be on an even keel
Phrasal verbs:
See keel over
keel in British English1
(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
3.
any structure corresponding to or resembling the keel of a ship, such as the central member along the bottom of an aircraft fuselage
4. biology
a ridgelike part; carina
5. a poetic word for ship1
verb
6.
to capsize
Derived forms
keel-less (ˈkeel-less)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Old Norse kjölr; related to Middle Dutch kiel,keel2
keel in British English2
(kiːl)
noun Eastern England dialect
1.
a flat-bottomed vessel, esp one used for carrying coal
2.
a measure of coal equal to about 21 tons
Word origin
C14 kele, from Middle Dutch kiel; compare Old English cēol ship
keel in British English3
(kiːl)
noun
1.
red ochre stain used for marking sheep, timber, etc
verb(transitive)
2.
to mark with this stain
Word origin
Old English cēlan, from cōlcool
keel in British English4
(kiːl)
verb
an archaic word for cool
Word origin
C15: probably from Scottish Gaelic cīl
keel in British English5
(kiːl)
noun
a fatal disease of young ducks, characterized by intestinal bleeding caused by Salmonella bacteria
Word origin
C19: from keel1; see keel over
keel in American English1
(kil)
noun
1.
the chief timber or steel piece extending along the entire length of the bottom of a boat or ship and supporting the frame: it sometimes protrudes beneath the hull
2. OLD-FASHIONED, Poetic
a ship
3.
anything resembling a ship's keel
4.
the assembly of beams, girders, etc. at the bottom of a rigid or semirigid airship to prevent sagging or buckling
5. Biology
a ridgelike part
verb transitive, verb intransitive
6.
to turn over on its side so as to turn up the keel or bottom
Idioms:
keel over
on an even keel
Word origin
ME kele < ON kjǫlr < Gmc *kelu- < IE base *gel-, to swallow > L gula, throat
keel in American English2
(kil)
noun
1.
a flat-bottomed ship; esp., a low, flat-bottomed coal barge or lighter, used on the Tyne
2.
a.
a barge load of coal
b.
a British unit of weight for coal, equal to 21.1 long tons
Word origin
ME kele < MDu kiel, boat < Gmc *keula < IE *geul-, rounded vessel > Sans gōlā, ball, round jug
keel in American English3
(kil)
verb transitive
Dialectal
to cool (a hot liquid) as by stirring
Word origin
ME kelen < OE celan (akin to Ger kühlen) < base of col, cool
keel in American English4
(kil)
noun
a red stain used for marking lumber, etc.; ruddle
Word origin
prob. < Ir or Gael cīl, ruddle
More idioms containing
keel
on an even keel
Examples of 'keel' in a sentence
keel
I could be sitting in a classroom and just keel over.
Christianity Today (2000)
It was shipped across the Atlantic and dispatched by wagon and keel boat more than a thousand miles inland to its destination.
Brian Thompson DEVASTATING EDEN: The Search for Utopia in America (2004)
Photographs of the wreck showed how the boat 's keel had snapped off, rupturing a hole in the hull.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
I'm scared he'll run into health problems and will just keel over one day.
The Sun (2009)
Word lists with
keel
parts of an aircraft, parts of an aircraft
In other languages
keel
British English: keel NOUN
The keel of a boat is the long, specially shaped piece of wood or steel along the bottom of it.
The keel hit the rock first.
American English: keel
Brazilian Portuguese: quilha
Chinese: > 龙骨船的
European Spanish: quilla
French: quille
German: Kiel
Italian: chiglia
Japanese: 竜骨
Korean: > 용골배의
European Portuguese: quilha
Latin American Spanish: quilla
Chinese translation of 'keel'
keel
(kiːl)
n(c)
(Naut) 龙(龍)骨 (lónggǔ) (条(條), tiáo)
to keep sb/sth on an even keel使某人/某物保持稳(穩)定 (shǐ mǒurén/mǒuwù bǎochí wěndìng)
to get or put sth back on an even keel使某物恢复(復)稳(穩)定 (shǐ mǒuwù huīfù wěndìng)