keel

Plural: keels

Noun

• a projection or ridge that suggests a keel
• the median ridge on the breastbone of birds that fly
• one of the main longitudinal beams (or plates) of the hull of a vessel; can extend vertically into the water to provide lateral stability
• A large beam along the underside of a ship’s hull from bow to stern.
• A rigid, flat piece of material anchored to the lowest part of the hull of a ship to give it greater control and stability.
• 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.
• The rigid bottom part of something else, especially an iceberg.
• A type of flat-bottomed boat.
• The periphery of a whorl extended to form a more or less flattened plate; a prominent spiral ridge.
• The two lowest petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower, united and enclosing the stamens and pistil; a carina.
• A broad, flat vessel used for cooling liquids; a brewer's cooling vat; a keelfat.
• Red chalk; ruddle.

Verb

• walk as if unable to control one's movements
• to collapse, to fall
• To traverse with a keel; to navigate.
• To turn up the keel; to show the bottom.
• To cool; make cool; to cool by stirring or skimming in order to keep from boiling over.
• To moderate the ardour or intensity of; assuage; to appease, pacify, or lessen.
• To become cool; cool down.
• To mark with ruddle.
• Pronunciation spelling of kill.

Examples

• "He keeled over after having a stroke."

Synonyms

careen, lurch, reel, stagger, swag