Keeve
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A bleaching vat; a kier.
- 2 A vat or tub in which the mash is made; a mash tub.
"In order to avoid a great deal of trouble, and to perform the vvork more effectually, by diveſting the nevv made Cyder of vvhat pummice and other impurities remain; after ſtraining it through a hair ſieve, on its coming from the VVring, or Preſs, it is neceſſary to be provided vvith a large open vat, keeve, or clive, vvhich vvill contain a vvhole pounding, or making of Cyder; or as much as can be preſſed in one day: […]"
- 3 A large vat used in dressing ores.
- 1 To set in a keeve, or tub, for fermentation.
- 2 To heave; to tilt, as a cart. UK, dialectal
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"In order to avoid a great deal of trouble, and to perform the vvork more effectually, by diveſting the nevv made Cyder of vvhat pummice and other impurities remain; after ſtraining it through a hair ſieve, on its coming from the VVring, or Preſs, it is neceſſary to be provided vvith a large open vat, keeve, or clive, vvhich vvill contain a vvhole pounding, or making of Cyder; or as much as can be preſſed in one day: […]"
Etymology
From Middle English kive, from Old English cȳf (“vat”), from Proto-West Germanic *kūbiju, a diminutive of Proto-Germanic *kūbaz, perhaps from Latin cūpa. Related to French cuve. Doublet of coupe, cup, and hive.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.