keel over

Học thuật
Thân thiện
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