# keel over

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈkiːl ˈəʊvə(ɹ)/

## Definitions
1. Of a vessel: to roll so far on its side that it cannot recover; to capsize or turn turtle.
2. To collapse in a faint; to black out, to swoon.
3. To die.

## Etymology
The original nautical meaning (sense 1) refers to a vessel rolling to the extent that its keel (“a large beam along the underside of the vessel’s hull from bow to stern”) is visible.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/keel-over