Definition

Verb: 1. To fall over suddenly, especially due to weakness, dizziness, or loss of consciousness. It often describes a person or animal collapsing. 2. To capsize or turn over. This meaning is used for boats or ships.

Usage

The verb "keel over" is intransitive (it does not take a direct object). It is often used to describe a sudden, uncontrolled fall. * The primary meaning relates to a person or animal falling down suddenly because they are ill, exhausted, or shocked. * The secondary, less common meaning describes a boat turning upside down in the water.

Examples

• Person falling:
  • After running the marathon in the heat, he keeled over at the finish line.
  • The news was so shocking that she almost keeled over.
• Boat capsizing:
  • The small sailboat keeled over in the strong gust of wind.

Advanced Usage

• "to keel over from/with [cause]": To specify the reason for collapsing.
  • Several workers keeled over from the intense heat.
  • He keeled over with laughter at the comedian's joke.

Variants and Related Words

• Keel (noun): The central structural base or spine of a ship or boat.
• Keel (verb): To capsize or cause to capsize. (e.g., )

Synonyms

• Collapse: To fall down suddenly.
• Faint: To lose consciousness briefly.
• Pass out: To become unconscious (informal).
• Capsize: (For boats) To turn over in the water.
• Topple over: To become unsteady and fall.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Black out: To temporarily lose consciousness or vision.
  • He blacked out for a moment before keeling over.
• Pass out: To faint.
  • She felt dizzy and passed out cold.

Related Idioms

• Drop like a fly: To fall down suddenly and in great numbers (often from illness or exhaustion).
  • In the heatwave, people were dropping like flies.
• Go heels over head: To fall over in a somersaulting motion; to tumble.
  • He slipped on the ice and went heels over head.

Verb

1. turn over and fall
   • the man had a heart attack and keeled over