keel
/kiːl/
verb
- To turn over or capsize; to fall down suddenly.
- The old tree keeled sideways during the storm.
- The boat keeled in the strong wind, throwing everyone into the water.
- He suddenly keeled over from the heat and had to be helped up.
noun
- The main structural beam along the bottom of a ship or boat, from front to back, that supports the frame.
- The ship's keel was made of strong oak timber.
- They laid the keel of the new yacht in the shipyard.
- Damage to the keel can cause a boat to leak or capsize.
- A similar central ridge or structure on other objects, such as the breastbone of a bird or the bottom of an airship.
- Birds that fly well have a prominent keel on their sternum.
- The turtle's shell has a keel along the center of its back.
- The airship's keel helped maintain its shape.
Synonyms