The Collaborative International Dictionary
Keel \Keel\, n. [Cf. AS. ce['o]l ship; akin to D. & G. kiel keel, OHG. chiol ship, Icel. kj[=o]ll, and perh. to Gr. gay^los a round-built Ph[oe]nician merchant vessel, gaylo`s bucket; cf. Skr. g[=o]la ball, round water vessel. But the meaning of the English word seems to come from Icel. kj["o]lr keel, akin to Sw. k["o]l, Dan. kj["o]l.]
(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.
Fig.: The whole ship.
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.]
(Bot.) The two lowest petals of the corolla of a papilionaceous flower, united and inclosing the stamens and pistil; a carina. See Carina.
(Nat. Hist.) A projecting ridge along the middle of a flat or curved surface.
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(Aeronautics) In a dirigible, a construction similar in form and use to a ship's keel; in an a["e]roplane, a fin or fixed surface employed to increase stability and to hold the machine to its course. 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 covered freight boat, with a keel, but no sails, used on Western rivers. [U. S.]
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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.
Usage examples of "on an even keel".
He ended his long vigil with one more prayer: Almighty God, keep these colonies on an even keel.
For seconds there was total confusion as Ordlaf and his mates, yelling frenziedly, kicked men out of their way, heaved ropes, seized oars, tried first to boom the ship off the bank on to which she had run, then to prop her at least on an even keel.
It settled back on an even keel for a moment, and then began to list to starboard as the water rushed in through two holes as large as barn doors.
Almost miraculously, with agonizing slowness, she righted in the trough and took the next sea bow-on, plunging through on an even keel.
There she lay, on an even keel, with her bows within a hundred yards of the bluff of hard ground.
Keeping a practiced eye on the polished brass depth gauge, the diving officer waited until reaching periscope depth before leveling U-20 on an even keel.
His mind came back on an even keel and he spoke into his face mask receiver.
The vessel occasionally rode on an even keel but more and more frequently it lurched into a sudden roll and each time recovered from it more and more slowly.
Aft, the ungainly tugs had been caught off guard and were completely unable to react at all, except for the knots of crewmen that poured from the hatches, pointing with astonishment as the big ship settled back on an even keel.
Pitt, but we've pretty much got things running on an even keel Our computers are linked with every security agency in the country.
When only the top of the bridge and the masts were visible the ship remained on an even keel.
Then they noticed, almost casually, that the Electro, leading ship in the starboard line, was slowing up, coming to a powerless stop, already settling in the water on an even keel, with no trace of tilt either for'ard or aft.
Gives a far more precise control of rising speed and makes it easier to keep the sub on an even keel.