heave

¹heave

verb \ˈhēv\

heaved or hove \ˈhōv\ heav·ing

Definition of HEAVE

transitive verb

1

obsolete : elevate

2

: lift, raise <heaved the trunk onto the table>

3

: throw, cast <heaving rocks>

4

a : to cause to swell or rise

b : to displace (as a rock stratum) especially by a fault

5

: to utter with obvious effort or with a deep breath <heave a sigh of relief>

6

: haul, draw

intransitive verb

1

: labor, struggle

2

: retch

3

a : to rise and fall rhythmically

b : pant

4

a : pull, push <heaving on a rope>

b : to move a ship in a specified direction or manner

c past usually hove : to move in an indicated way <the ship hove into view>

5

: to rise or become thrown or raised up

— heav·er noun

— heave to

: to halt the headway of a ship (as by positioning a sailboat with the jib aback and the rudder turned sharply to windward)

Examples of HEAVE

1. She heaved the door shut.
2. The quarterback heaved the ball down the field.
3. She sat down and heaved a sigh of relief.

Origin of HEAVE

Middle English heven, from Old English hebban; akin to Old High German hevan to lift, Latin capere to take

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to HEAVE

Synonyms

boost, heft, hoist, jack (up), upheave

Antonyms

drop, lower

Related Words

elevate, hike, pick up, raise, rear, up, uplift, upraise, uprear

Near Antonyms

depress, drop, lower; sink, submerge, submerse

See Synonym Discussion at lift

Rhymes with HEAVE

breve, cleave, eave, eve, Eve, greave, grieve, leave, lief, peeve, reave, reeve, reive, scrieve, sheave, sleeve, steeve, thieve, weave

²heave

noun

Definition of HEAVE

1

a : an effort to heave or raise

b : hurl, cast

2

: an upward motion : rising; especially : a rhythmical rising

3

: horizontal displacement especially by the faulting of a rock

4

plural but sing or plural in constr : chronic pulmonary emphysema of the horse resulting in difficult expiration, heaving of the flanks, and a persistent cough

Examples of HEAVE

1. We lifted the box onto the table with a heave.
2. He gave the rope a mighty heave.
3. The quarterback uncorked a mighty heave.

First Known Use of HEAVE

circa 1571

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

heave

verb \ˈhēv\   (Medical Dictionary)

heaved; heav·ing

Medical Definition of HEAVE

transitive verb

: vomit <got carsick and heaved his lunch>

intransitive verb

: to undergo retching or vomiting