heave

Universal Words verb, noun verb 1 [+adv./prep.] to lift, pull or throw sb/sth very heavy with one great effort: [VN] I managed to heave the trunk down the stairs. * They heaved the body overboard. * He heaved himself out of his armchair. * [V] We all heaved on the rope. * Heave away lads! 2 [V] ~ (with sth) to rise up and down with strong, regular movements: The boat heaved beneath them. * Her shoulders heaved with laughter. 3 [VN] ~ a sigh, etc. to make a sound slowly and often with effort: We all heaved a sigh of relief. * She heaved a long sigh. 4 [V] to experience the tight feeling in your stomach that you get before you VOMIT: The thought of it makes me heave. * His stomach heaved. IDIOMS heave into sight / view HELPNOTE Hove is usually used for the past tense and past participle in this idiom. (written) (especially of ships) to appear, especially when moving gradually closer from a long way off: A ship hove into sight. * Like a galleon in full sail, Cara hove into view. PHRASALVERBS heave to HELPNOTE Hove is usually used for the past tense and past participle in this phrasal verb. (technical) if a ship or its CREW (= the people sailing it) heave to, the ship stops moving noun [C,U] 1 an act of lifting, pulling or throwing: With a mighty heave he lifted the sack onto the truck. 2 (especially literary) a rising and falling movement: the steady heave of the sea