keel

Universal Words noun, verb noun the long piece of wood or steel along the bottom of a ship, on which the frame is built, and which helps it to keep upright in the water IDIOMS see EVENadj. verb [V, VN] if a ship or boat keels, or sth keels it, it falls over onto its side SYNCAPSIZE PHRASALVERBS keel over to fall over sideways or forwards: Several of them keeled over in the heat.