keel

n. [ Cf. AS. ceól ship; akin to D. & G. kiel keel, OHG. chiol ship, Icel. kjōll, and perh. to Gr. gay^los a round-built Phœnician merchant vessel, gaylo`s 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: The whole ship. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Bot.) The two lowest petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower, united and inclosing the stamens and pistil; a carina. See Carina. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Nat. Hist.) A projecting ridge along the middle of a flat or curved surface. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Aeronautics) In a dirigible, a construction similar in form and use to a ship's keel; in an aëroplane, a fin or fixed surface employed to increase stability and to hold the machine to its course. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

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, n., 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 a. & adv., steady; balanced; steadily. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Keeled p. pr. & vb. n. Keeling. ] 1. To traverse with a keel; to navigate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To turn up the keel; to show the bottom. [ 1913 Webster ]

To keel over, to upset; to capsize. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A brewer's cooling vat; a keelfat. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. guillage, fr. guille keel; of German or Scand origin. See 3d Keel. ] The right of demanding a duty or toll for a ship entering a port; also, the duty or toll. Bouvier. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. (Bot.) Keel-shaped; having a longitudinal prominence on the back; as, a keeled leaf. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Having a median ridge; carinate; as, a keeled scale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See 3d Keel. ] 1. One employed in managing a Newcastle keel; -- called also keelman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A small or shallow tub; esp., one used for holding materials for calking ships, or one used for washing dishes, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Keel to cool + fat a large tub, a vat. ] (Brewing) A cooler; a vat for cooling wort, etc. [ Written also keelvat. ] Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Keelhauled p. pr. & vb. n. Keelhauling. ] [ 3d keel + haul: cf. LG. & D. kielhalen, G. kielholen. ] [ Written also keelhale. ] (Naut.) To haul under the keel of a ship, by ropes attached to the yardarms on each side. It was formerly practiced as a punishment in the Dutch and English navies. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]