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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Keel


KEEL, noun

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 transitive To cool.

KEEL, verb transitive 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.