Main Entry: ¹heave

Pronunciation: \ˈhēv\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): heaved or hove \ˈhōv\; heav·ing

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

Date: before 12th century

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, drawintransitive 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

synonyms see lift

— 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)