English Explanatory Dictionary

keel

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A large beam along the underside of a ship’s hull from bow to stern.
  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. The rigid bottom part of something else, especially an iceberg.
  5. A type of flat-bottomed boat.
  6. The periphery of a whorl extended to form a more or less flattened plate; a prominent spiral ridge.
  7. The two lowest petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower, united and enclosing the stamens and pistil; a carina.
verb
  1. To collapse, to fall.
  2. To traverse with a keel; to navigate.
  3. To turn up the keel; to show the bottom.
verb
  1. To cool; make cool; to cool by stirring or skimming in order to keep from boiling over.
  2. To moderate the ardour or intensity of; assuage; to appease, pacify, or lessen.
  3. To become cool; cool down.
noun
  1. A broad, flat vessel used for cooling liquids; a brewer's cooling vat; a keelfat.
noun
  1. Red chalk; ruddle.
verb
  1. To mark with ruddle.
verb
  1. Pronunciation spelling of kill.

Pronunciation

/kiːl/ en-us-keel.ogg

Word forms

keel keels keeling keeled

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.

Derived words

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