cave

American  

[keyv] / keɪv /

noun

1. a hollow in the earth, especially one opening more or less horizontally into a hill, mountain, etc.

2. a storage cellar, especially for wine.

3. English History. a secession, or a group of seceders, from a political party on some special question.

---

verb (used with object)

caved, caving

1. to hollow out.

2. Mining.

   1. to cause (overlying material) to fall into a stope, sublevel, or the like.

   2. to cause (supports, as stulls or sets) to collapse beneath overlying material.

   3. to fill (a stope or the like) with caved-in material.

      sub-level caving.

verb (used without object)

caved, caving

1. to cave in.

verb phrase

1. cave in

   1. to fall in; collapse.

   2. to cause to fall in or collapse.

   3. Informal. to yield; submit; surrender.

      The opposition caved in before our superior arguments.

cave ¹ British  

/ ˈkeɪvɪ /

noun

1. guard or lookout (esp in the phrase keep cave )

---

1. watch out!

cave ² British  

/ keɪv /

noun

1. an underground hollow with access from the ground surface or from the sea, often found in limestone areas and on rocky coastlines

2. history a secession or a group seceding from a political party on some issue See Adullamite

3. (modifier) living in caves

---

verb

1. (tr) to hollow out

cave Scientific  

/ kāv /

1. A naturally occurring underground hollow or passage, especially one with an opening to the surface of the Earth. Caves can form through a variety of processes, including the dissolution of limestone by flowing water, the differential cooling of volcanic magma (which occurs when the outside surface of the lava cools, but the inside continues to flow downwards, forming a hollow tube), or the action of wind and waves along a rocky coast.

---

Other Word Forms

• cavelike adjective

Etymology

Origin of cave

1175–1225; Middle English < Old French < Late Latin cava (feminine singular), Latin cava, neuter plural of cavum hole, noun use of neuter of cavus hollow

Example Sentences

Her voice sounds far away, like she’s in a cave, and a wave of dizziness comes over me.

From Literature

He found the clean-lined water fountain at Reseda Discount Pottery & Fountains, which he calls an “Aladdin’s cave” with hundreds of fountains running at once.

From Los Angeles Times

Storyteller Tom Muir talks about his interest in sea caves.

From BBC

The roof can be caving in or they can be well-loved properties with absentee owners.

From The Wall Street Journal

The intricate patterns and iconic brick walls that once defined the kitchen have fallen into disrepair - plaster peeling from cracked walls and sections of the floor beginning to cave in.

From BBC

Related Words

• cavern
• grotto