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Webster 1913 Edition

Keel

Keel

(kēl)
,
Verb.
T.
&
I.
[AS.
cēlan
to cool, fr.
cōl
cool. See
Cool
.]
To cool; to skim or stir.
[Obs.]
While greasy Joan doth
keel
the pot.
Shakespeare

Keel

,
Noun.
A brewer’s cooling vat; a keelfat.

Keel

,
Noun.
[Cf. AS.
ceól
ship; akin to D. & G.
kiel
keel, OHG.
chiol
ship, Icel.
kjōll
, and perh. to Gr.
γαῦλοσ
a round-built Phœnician merchant vessel,
γαυλόσ
bucket; cf. Skr.
gōla
ball, round water vessel. But the meaning of the English word seems to come from Icel.
kjölr
keel, akin to Sw.
köl
, Dan.
kjöl
.]
1.
(Shipbuilding)
A longitudinal timber, or series of timbers scarfed together, extending from stem to stern along the bottom of a vessel. It is the principal timber of the vessel, and, by means of the ribs attached on each side, supports the vessel's frame. In an iron vessel, a combination of plates supplies the place of the keel of a wooden ship. See Illust. of
Keelson
.
2.
Fig.: The whole ship.
3.
A barge or lighter, used on the Tyne for carrying coal from Newcastle; also, a barge load of coal, twenty-one tons, four cwt.
[Eng.]
4.
(Bot.)
The two lowest petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower, united and inclosing the stamens and pistil; a carina. See
Carina
.
5.
(Nat. Hist.)
A projecting ridge along the middle of a flat or curved surface.
Bilge keel
(Naut.)
,
a keel peculiar to ironclad vessels, extending only a portion of the length of the vessel under the bilges.
Ham. Nav. Encyc.
–
False keel
.
See under
False
.
–
Keel boat
.
(a)
A covered freight boat, with a keel, but no sails, used on Western rivers.
[U. S.]
(b)
A low, flat-bottomed freight boat. See
Keel
,
Noun.
, 3.
–
Keel piece
,
one of the timbers or sections of which a keel is composed.
–
On even keel
,
in a level or horizontal position, so that the draught of water at the stern and the bow is the same.
Ham. Nav. Encyc.
–
On an even keel
Adj.
&
adv.
,
steady; balanced; steadily.

Keel

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Keeled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Keeling
.]
1.
To traverse with a keel; to navigate.
2.
To turn up the keel; to show the bottom.
To keel over
,
to upset; to capsize.
[Colloq.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Keel

KEEL

, n.
1.
The principal timber in a ship, extending from stem to stern at the bottom, and supporting the whole frame.
2.
A low flat-bottomed vessel, used in the river Tyne, to convey coals from Newcastle for loading the colliers.
3.
In botany, the lower petal of a papilionaceous corol, inclosing the stamens and pistil.
False keel, a strong thick piece of timber, bolted to the bottom of the keel, to preserve it from injury.
On an even keel, in a level or horizontal position.

KEEL

,
Verb.
T.
To cool.

KEEL

,
Verb.
T.
To plow with a keel; to navigate.
1.
To turn up the keel; to show the bottom.
To keel the pot, in Ireland, to scum it.

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