▪ I. careen, n. Naut.
(kəˈriːn)
Also 6–7 carine, 7 carene, careene, 8 creen.
[a. F. carène fem., keel, in phrases such as en carène = ‘on the careen’, helped by the use of the verb.]
1. The position of a ship laid or heeled over on one side. on (upon) the careen: turned over on one side for repairing, or by stress of weather, etc.
| 1591 Hon. Actions E. Glemham, Which compeld them to lie vpon the carine, to stop their leakes. 1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. ii. 13 Breaming her..either in a dry dock or vpon her Careene. c 1645 Howell Lett. I. i. xxviii, Many Gallies, and Galeasses..either in Cours, at Anchor, in Dock, or upon the Carine. 1651 ― Venice 36 She hath bin so often trimmd, putt upon the Carine, and metamorphosed. 1678 Lond. Gaz. No. 1359/4 The Algierine..had so great a hole made in her, that [s]he was brought to her Carene. 1707 Ibid. No. 4380/2 We saw him on the Careen [from being struck between wind and water]. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789) L iij b, When a ship is laid on a careen, every thing is taken out of her. 1798 Naval Chron. (1799) I. 171 A broadside, which laid him on a creen. 1836 Marryat Pirate iii, The [ship] righted from her careen. |
2. The process of careening: see the vb.
| 1712 W. Rogers Voy. (1718) 217 The Dutchess began to make ready for a careen. |
3. A careening over. (See the vb. 4.)
| 1880 L. Wallace Ben-Hur i. i. 6 The charm [of the camel] is not..in the movement, the noiseless stepping, or the broad careen. |
▪ II. careen, v. Naut.
(kəˈriːn)
Forms: 6–7 carene, 7 carine, (careene, carreene, caren, carrine, 7–8 carreen, 8 creen), 7– careen.
[corresponds to mod.F. caréner, earlier cariner, Sp. carenar, It. carenare, f. F. carène, Sp. or It. carena keel:—L. carīna keel.
(The precise source of the vb. does not appear; it may even have been f. the n.: the Fr., Sp., It. verb is not in Cotgr., Minsheu, Florio.)]
1. a. trans. To turn (a ship) over on one side for cleaning, caulking, or repairing; to clean, caulk, etc. (a ship so turned over).
| 1600 Hakluyt Voy. (1810) III, A fit place to carene the ship. 1628 Digby Voy. Medit. (1868) 56 To stay att Milo to carine and fitt her. 1682 Wheler Journ. Greece i. 28 A Fountain of Pitch..with which they caren Vessels. 1687 B. Randolph Archipel. 11 To carine his ship. 1747 Col. Records Penn. V. 71 His Sloop cou'd not go to Sea without being Careen'd. 1849 W. Irving Columbus III. 25 Finding a convenient harbor..he unloaded and careened his vessels. |
| fig. 1763 H. Walpole Corr. (1837) II. 189 After an Irish voyage I do not wonder you want careening. |
† b. transf. Humorously to careen a wig.
| 1675 Character Town Gallant 5 He..pulls out his Comb, Carreens his Wigg. 1702 Eng. Theophrast. 53 He [the beau] is two long hours careening his wig. 1702 Poet Banter'd 48 Swiming Line careend with Flies. |
2. a. absol.
| 1697 W. Dampier Voy. I. xvi. 443 A fine small Cove..fit to Careen in. 1790 Beatson Nav. & Mil. Mem. I. 227 The Commodore..informed the Captains, that his orders were..to careen, and refit. 1821 Byron Juan iii. xx, He left his ship..With orders to the people to careen. |
| fig. 1737 M. Green Spleen (1807) 173 Once in seven years I'm seen At Bath or Tunbridge, to careen. 1874 Sat. Rev. 19 Jan. (Hoppe) We got him safe to Eskmount..There he is at present, careening, and the ladies take the best care possible of him. |
b. intr. for pass. Said of the ship itself.
| 1667 Lond. Gaz. No. 145/3 Some that were driven to shore, were since forced to unlade and Carine. 1670 Marvell Let. Mayor Hull Wks. I. 155 Liberty for our ships to careen and victual in any of his ports. 1720 Lond Gaz. No. 5827/1 The Barfleur..is now carreening. |
3. trans. To cause (a ship) to heel over.
| 1833 M. Scott Tom Cringle xii. (1859) 281 Do you mean to careen the ship that you have all run to the starboard side? 1836 Marryat Pirate xi, The heavy blows of the seas upon the sides of the vessel careened and shook her. |
4. a. intr. ‘A ship is said to careen when she inclines to one side, or lies over when sailing on a wind’ (Smyth Sailor's Word-bk.).
| a 1763 Shenstone Love & Hon. 99 The fleet careen'd, the wind propitious fill'd The swelling sails. 1762 Falconer Shipwr. ii. 32 Careening as if never more to right. 1863 Dicey Federal St. I. 4 The ship staggered, careened, and reeled, as wave after wave came thundering on her. 1883 G. C. Davies Norfolk Broads ix. 76 If the wind is strong then the yachts careen over to the very verge of safety. |
b. transf. To lean over; to tilt.
| 1883 G. Meredith Poems 157 Now his huge bulk o'er Africa careened. 1895 Conrad Almayer's Folly xii. 260 The big office desk, with one of its legs broken, careened over like the hull of a stranded ship. 1920 C. H. Stagg High Speed (ed. 2) ix. 152 A hundred times their throats choked as the car careened on a bank. Ibid. xiv. 251 The car should have careened until it almost turtled. Ibid. xv. 272 A sickening skid,..a careening lurch that brought a cry from Dan. 1938 British Birds XXXI. 333 The bird was careening from side to side as though there were waves. |
5. [Influenced by career v. 2.] To rush headlong, to hurtle, esp. with an unsteady motion. Chiefly U.S.
Quot. 1925 may belong to sense 4 b.
| 1923 [see cruiser 2]. 1925 T. Dreiser Amer. Tragedy (1926) ii. xxiii. 312 There came a contact..which set his thoughts careening in an entirely different direction. 1928 F. Hurst President is Born xiii. 146 With terrible, terrifying, careening strides, that zigzagged crazily. Ibid. xxxi. 315 The tears jetted and careened down to her lips. 1940 Amer. Speech XV. 72 Careen of recent years has come to mean ‘to rush headlong’, or ‘hurtle’, doubtless because of its resemblance to career. 1957 H. Roosenburg Walls came tumbling Down iv. 91 A lot of Russians careening along the road on liberated bicycles. 1965 H. Gold Man who was not with It (1965) v. 46 A shrill cry careened down the street. |