heave

verb

\ ˈhēv

heaved or hove\ ˈhōv

\; heaving

Definition of heave

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 obsolete : elevate

2 : lift, raise heaved the trunk onto the table

3 : throw, cast heaved her books on the floor

4a : to cause to swell or rise a spent horse gasping and heaving his chest Frost had heaved the sidewalk.

b geology : to displace (something, such as a rock stratum or a mineral vein) especially by a fault

5 : to utter with obvious effort or with a deep breath heave a sigh of relief

6 : to draw, pull, or haul on (something, such as a rope) heave a line

intransitive verb

1 : to strain or labor to do something difficult : struggle

2 : retch, vomit nearly heaved at the gruesome sight

3a : to rise and fall rhythmically The boat heaved up and down on the waves.

b : pant runners heaving at the finish line

4a : pull, push heaving on a rope

b : to move a ship in a specified direction or manner

c past tense usually hove : to move in an indicated way the ship hove into view

5 : to rise or become thrown or raised up Roads had begun to heave with frost.

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)

heave

noun

Definition of heave (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : an effort to pull or raise something with each heave of the rope

b : an act or instance of throwing : hurl gave the ball a heave toward the basket

2 : an upward motion : rising especially : a rhythmical rising the heave of his chest

3 geology : horizontal displacement especially by the faulting of a rock the total heave of the strata

4 heaves plural in form but singular or plural in construction, veterinary medicine : chronic pulmonary emphysema of the horse resulting in difficult expiration, heaving of the flanks, and a persistent cough

heave

Definition of heave

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