From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishkeelkeel1 /kiːl/ noun 1 → on an even keel2 TTW[countable] a bar along the bottom of a boat that keeps it steady in the water
Examples from the Corpus
keel• But then he wasn't carrying tons of lead on a keel that had to be dragged through the water.• I was supposed to be a caretaker, charged with setting the branch back on an even keel.• These two kept her on an even keel.• So when we got up here, I was really enjoying sort of keeping things on an even keel at home.• Had the peak risen up from the waters and punctured the keel, thereby skewering the vessel in place?• These bronze fastenings protrude through the keel and would have secured the main station frames of the hull.• At the same time, the keel can be reinforced with extra pieces of spare fabric, and eyelets riveted in place.keelkeel2 verb → keel over→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
keel• The worker on the ladder looks as if he is ready to keel over from exhaustion.• It would allow him to go quietly in his sleep or keel over happily on the fourth green.• Truly I would keel over in spasms of exquisite nostalgia.• Frighten or surprise one and it will stiffen and keel over in what appears to be a dead faint.• His momentum carried him as far as the launcher and with out-thrust foot he sent it keeling over on to its side.• She hated him, hated him, her respect and breathless excitement keeling over under the weight of her rage and humiliation.• Once Muzzy Izzet had rounded off a neatly worked equaliser the Second Division side might have been expected to keel over.From Longman Business Dictionarykeelkeel /kiːl/ noun on an even keel working smoothly without any sudden changesa strategy to put the economy on an even keelOrigin keel1 (1300-1400) Old Norse kjölr 