Dictionary

keel en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /kiːl/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English kele, from Old Norse kjǫlr, itself from Proto-Germanic *keluz, of uncertain origin. Displaced Old English ċēol from a related root. Distantly related to kile.

Meanings

1. A large beam along the underside of a ship’s hull from bow to stern.
   • I hear the noise about thy keel; ⁠I hear the bell struck in the night: ⁠I see the cabin-window bright; I see the sailor at the wheel. 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto X”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
2. A rigid, flat piece of material anchored to the lowest part of the hull of a ship to give it greater control and stability.
3. In a dirigible, a construction similar in form and use to a ship's keel; in an aeroplane, a fin or fixed surface employed to increase stability and to hold the machine to its course.
4. (broadly) The rigid bottom part of something else, especially an iceberg.
   • The most important ice features are the frequency and extent of downward projections (bummocks and ice keels) from the underside of the ice canopy (pack ice and enclosed water areas from the point of view of the submariner)[…] 1975, Nathaniel Bowditch, American Practical Navigator: An Epitome of Navigation, page 834:
   • Bill Roggensack, EBA Engineering Ltd.: So at the end of this particular simulation, presumably the keel of the iceberg is in contact with the seabed? / Chris Woodworth-Lynas: It is just in contact with the seabed. 1986, Environmental Studies Revolving Funds (Canada); C. F. M. Lewis; Federal Panel on Energy Research and Development (Canada); Gulf Canada Resources Inc; Ice Scour Workshop (1985 : Calgary, Alta.), Ice Scour and Seabed Engineering: Proceedings of a Workshop on Ice Scour Research:
   • Would he be able to break through the surface ice or would they ram into an ice keel extending down from the bottom of the ice pack that would rip their craft open like a mere sardine can? 2021 September 30, Kenneth Andrus, Arctic Menace, Babylon Books, →ISBN:
5. A type of flat-bottomed boat.
   • The ladies remained at the house, while the men walked to the staith on the [River] Wear, and were shown the process of unloading the wagons into the keels by means of the coal-drop. 1948 January and February, “Notes and News: Duke of Wellington's Early Railway Journey”, in Railway Magazine, page 56:
6. The periphery of a whorl extended to form a more or less flattened plate; a prominent spiral ridge.
   • Metanotum shining, indistinctly punctured at the base in the centre, the sides closely punctured; the areola large, obliquely narrowed at the base, its apex open, there are 2 lateral areas, both widely open at the base on the outerside; the posterior median area bears about 10 stout, transverse keels; on its apical outerside is a triangular area; the spiracular is bounded on the outerside by a distinct keel. 1906, Records of the Albany Museum - Volume 1, page 314:
7. The two lowest petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower, united and enclosing the stamens and pistil; a carina.
   • Vegetatively it is the nearest to H. translucens with its oblong-lanceolate leaves, with the margins and keel beset with pellucid teeth, but it differs and is characterised by the greyish-black quadrantly positioned globose flowers; […] 1985, Charles L. Scott, The Genus Haworthia (Liliaceae): A Taxonomic Revision, page 80:
8. The extension of a bird's sternum to which pectoral muscles attach.

Forms

Coordinates

bummock

Deriveds

keelful · keelage · fin keel · keel-jawed needlefish · false keel · caudal keel · keelboat · keelman · bilge keel · keel over · keelback · keely · even keel · off keel · on keel · keelhaul · sliding keel · keel arch · keelless

Synonyms

carina

Translations (80)

ang cēol (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · sh кобилица (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · mi takere (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · pl kil (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · tr salma (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · no kjøl (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · nl kiel (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · bg кил (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · ru киль (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · it deriva (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · es quilla (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · sh kobilica (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · pl stępka (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · nrf tchelle (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · gl quilla (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · fr quille (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · vo kuil (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · izh kili (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · fi köli (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · he שִׁדְרָה (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · cy cêl (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · th กระดูกงู (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · tl lunas (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ru киль (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · he שדרן (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · fi köli (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · pl stępka (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · de Schwert (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · de Kiel (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · bg кил (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · nl kiel (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · vo kuil nafa (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ms lunas (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · et kiil (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · pl łódź kilowa (a type of flat-bottomed boat) · hu tőkesúly (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ka კილი (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ru лодочка (petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower) · tl kilya (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · pt quilha (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ja 艀 (a type of flat-bottomed boat) · mk кобилица (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ko 용골 (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · izh emäpuu (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ja 竜骨 (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · hu kiel (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ka გემის ხერხემალი (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · la carīna (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · sv köl (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · cmn 龍骨 /龙骨 (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · es quilla (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · ar صَالِب (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · pl kil (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · mk кобилица (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · pl łódeczka (petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower) · sl gredelj (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · vo nafakuil (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · tr omurga (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · sv köl (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ca quilla (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · fa شاهتیر (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · izh antura (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · cs kýl (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ca quilla (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · nds-de kyl (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · tr gemi omurgası (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · bg шлеп (a type of flat-bottomed boat) · it chiglia (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · tr karina (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ja キール (a type of flat-bottomed boat) · ru киль (petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower) · he שדרית (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · ro chilă (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · zlw-ocs břuch (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · sq kallumë (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · de Kiel (rigid flat piece of material giving a ship greater control and stability) · osx kiol (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · da køl (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · oc quilha (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull) · it carena (beam along the underside of a ship’s hull)

keel en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /kiːl/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English kele, from Old Norse kjǫlr, itself from Proto-Germanic *keluz, of uncertain origin. Displaced Old English ċēol from a related root. Distantly related to kile.

Meanings

1. (in keel over, intransitive) To collapse, to fall.
   • He keeled over after having a stroke.
2. To traverse with a keel; to navigate.
3. To turn up the keel; to show the bottom.

Forms

Deriveds

keel over

Translations (7)

pl przewrócić się (collapse, fall) · el καταρρέω (collapse, fall) · el σωριάζομαι (collapse, fall) · pl wywracać się (collapse, fall) · pl wywrócić się (collapse, fall) · bg преобръщам се (collapse, fall) · pl przewracać się (collapse, fall)

keel en · NOUN · etymology 2

Etymology

From Middle English kelen, from Old English cēlan (“to cool, to make or become cool”), from Proto-West Germanic *kōlijan, from Proto-Germanic *kōlijaną (“to cool”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian käile, köile (“to cool”), Dutch koelen (“to cool”), German Low German köhlen (“to cool”), German kühlen (“to cool”), Danish køle (“to cool”), Icelandic kæla (“to cool”).

Meanings

1. A broad, flat vessel used for cooling liquids; a brewer's cooling vat; a keelfat.

Forms

keel en · VERB · etymology 2

Etymology

From Middle English kelen, from Old English cēlan (“to cool, to make or become cool”), from Proto-West Germanic *kōlijan, from Proto-Germanic *kōlijaną (“to cool”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian käile, köile (“to cool”), Dutch koelen (“to cool”), German Low German köhlen (“to cool”), German kühlen (“to cool”), Danish køle (“to cool”), Icelandic kæla (“to cool”).

Meanings

1. (obsolete, transitive) To cool; make cool; to cool by stirring or skimming in order to keep from boiling over.
   • A merrie note, / While greaſie Ione doth keele the pot. c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], signature K2, verso:
2. (obsolete, transitive) To moderate the ardour or intensity of; assuage; to appease, pacify, or lessen.
3. (intransitive, obsolete) To become cool; cool down.

Forms

Deriveds

keeler

keel en · NOUN · etymology 3

Etymology

Probably from Scottish Gaelic cìl (“ruddle”).

Meanings

1. (Scotland) Red chalk; ruddle.

keel en · VERB · etymology 3

Etymology

Probably from Scottish Gaelic cìl (“ruddle”).

Meanings

1. (Scotland, transitive) To mark with ruddle.

Forms

keel en · VERB · etymology 4

Etymology

Compare Scots kele, keil, keill (“to put to death, kill”).

Meanings

1. (alt-of, humorous, nonstandard, pronunciation-spelling) Pronunciation spelling of kill.
   alt of kill

Forms