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 all synonyms and antonyms

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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