Meaning
A strong cleat to which large ropes are belayed.
Etymology
Origin: Middle English
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”).
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2020, 2022, 2023.