keeled; keeling; keels
1
: to fall in or as if in a faint
—usually used with over
keeled over from exhaustion
2
of a boat or ship
: to heel or lean precariously
1
a
: the chief structural member of a boat or ship that extends longitudinally along the center of its bottom and that often projects from the bottom
also
: this projection
b
: ship
2
: a projection suggesting the keel of a boat or ship: such as
a
: an anatomical process forming a ridge (as on the sternum of a bird) : carina sense 1
b
botany
: the lower part of a papilionaceous flower (as of a pea or bean plant) that consists of two fused petals, lies between the wings (see wing sense 2e(2)), and encloses the pistil and stamens
The keel, the lowest petal of the pea-like flower, is short and rounded.—
Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean M. Roose
Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean M. Roose
: a flat-bottomed barge used especially on the Tyne to carry coal
Synonyms
Verb (1)
Noun (1)
Examples of keel in a Sentence
Verb (1)
I swear I'll keel over if you make me dissect a frog
Noun (1)
for a few days at least, the Titanic was the largest and grandest keel afloat
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 5 Sep. 2024
An endangered female basking shark was near the surface of the water off the coast of Ireland in April when the keel of a boat cut across her back.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 26 July 2024
Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 July 2023
Throughout the ups and downs for the Chicago Bulls this season, coach Billy Donovan has tried to keep his demeanor even keel for the most part.
—Jamal Collier, chicagotribune.com, 20 Mar. 2021
See all Example Sentences for keel 
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Noun
Additionally, doors and hatches should have been closed, and the keel should have been lowered to increase stability, among other safety measures, Costantino declared.
—Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 5 Sep. 2024
An endangered female basking shark was near the surface of the water off the coast of Ireland in April when the keel of a boat cut across her back.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 26 July 2024
Verb
Meditation is something that really keeps me even keeled.
—Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 July 2023
Throughout the ups and downs for the Chicago Bulls this season, coach Billy Donovan has tried to keep his demeanor even keel for the most part.
—Jamal Collier, chicagotribune.com, 20 Mar. 2021
See all Example Sentences for keel
Dictionary Entries Near keel
Cite this Entry
“Keel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keel. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
keel
1 of 2 noun1
: a timber or plate that runs lengthwise along the center of the bottom of a ship and usually sticks out from the bottom
2
: something (as the breastbone of a bird or the lower two petals of a pea flower) that is like a ship's keel in form or use
keel
2 of 2 verb
: to turn (a ship or boat) over
Medical Definition
keel
noun
: acute septicemic salmonellosis or paratyphoid of ducklings marked by sudden collapse and death of apparently healthy birds
called also keel disease
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