kevel

English

Etymology 1

From English dialect kevil, cavel (“rod, pole, a large hammer”), from Middle English kevel, *kavel (“a large stonemason's hammer”), from Old Norse kefli, kafli n (“a cylinder, stick, piece of wood”) and Old Norse kefli, kafli m (“a piece cut off, buoy, piece”). Compare Icelandic kefli (“cylinder, a stick, mangle”), and Danish kievle (“a roller”).

Alternative forms

• kevil, cavel, cavil

Noun

kevel (plural kevels)

1. (nautical) A strong cleat to which large ropes are belayed.
2. A stonemason's hammer.

See also

• gavel

Etymology 2

From Middle English kevel. More at cavel.

Noun

kevel (plural kevels)

1. Alternative form of cavel (“gag”)

Etymology 3

Noun

kevel (plural kevels)

1. A gazelle.
   • 1827, Conrad Malte-Brun, A system of universal geography:

     […] the pasan is the most frequent, then the corinne, which differs very little from the kevel, and the proper gazelle […]

Anagrams

• Kleve