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stave in

phrasal verb

staved in; staving in; staves in
: to be broken or crushed inward or to break or crush (something) inward
The hull of the boat stove in when it hit the rocks.
The rocks stove in the hull of the boat.

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Cite this Entry

“Stave in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stave%20in. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.

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