keel 1
— keeled , adj.
/keel/ , n.
1. Naut. a central fore-and-aft structural member in the bottom of a hull, extending from the stem to the sternpost and having the floors or frames attached to it, usually at right angles: sometimes projecting from the bottom of the hull to provide stability.
2. Literary. a ship or boat.
3. a part corresponding to a ship's keel in some other structure, as in a dirigible balloon.
4. ( cap. ) Astron. the constellation Carina.
5. Bot. , Zool. a longitudinal ridge, as on a leaf or bone; a carina.
6. Also called brace molding . Archit. a projecting molding the profile of which consists of two ogees symmetrically disposed about an arris or fillet.
7. on an even keel , in a state of balance; steady; steadily: The affairs of state are seldom on an even keel for long.
v.t. , v.i.
8. to turn or upset so as to bring the wrong side or part uppermost.
9. keel over ,
a. to capsize or overturn.
b. to fall as in a faint: Several cadets keeled over from the heat during the parade.
[ 1325-75; 1895-1900 for def. 9; ME kele kjolr; c. OE ceol keel, ship; see KEEL 2 ]
keel 2
/keel/ , n. Brit. Dial.
1. keelboat.
2. a keelboat load of coal; the amount of coal carried by one keelboat.
3. a measure of coal equivalent to 21 long tons and 4 hundredweight (21.5 metric tons).
[ 1375-1425; late ME kele kiel ship; c. OE ceol ship, G kiel ship (obs.), KEEL 1 ]
keel 3
/keel/ , v.t. Brit. Dial.
to cool, esp. by stirring.
[ bef. 900; ME kelen, OE celan to be cool; akin to COOL ]
keel 4
/keel/ , n.
a red ocher stain used for marking sheep, lumber, etc.; ruddle.
[ 1475-85; earlier keyle (north and Scots dial.); cf. ScotGael cìl (itself perh. ]