keel over UK /ˈkiːl ˈəʊvə(ɹ)/US /ˈkil ˈoʊvɚ/ verb3 •Of a vessel: to roll so far on its side that it cannot recover; to capsize or turn turtle.What a tiny little schooner! But is it not bold to spread both sails? And see, now that we have come round to the wind, how the skiff keels over. — 1844 •To collapse in a faint; to black out, to swoon.We should all go inside before somebody keels over from the heat. •To die. formskeeled over · keeling over · keels over