Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
keel over

keel over

Date: Apr 12 2007

Themes: Friend

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“I think it’s because of my age. Everybody thinks I’m gonna keel over in a year or two.”

Alan Arkin explaining why he thinks he won the Oscar for his role in Little Miss Sunshine.

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

die suddenly; drop dead; collapse

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

Alan Arkin is old but he’s not that old. When he won the Oscar a few weeks ago, he joked that it was only because people think he’s going to die soon. That’s why he says people think he’s going to keel over in the next couple of years.

This expression is used in a casual environment and is sometimes meant to be funny. It is not appropriate for all situations. If you are in doubt, it is best to say someone died or passed away. Use keeled over only in casual, familiar or humorous situations.

This expression is also used as exaggeration or sarcasm. For example, if you are telling your friends a funny story about being sick, you could say you were about to keel over.

If you are talking casually about someone who has died, someone that neither you nor your friends knew personally, you could say, “Did you hear about the guy who died at the grocery store? He just keeled over in the produce section.”

However, if you are expressing condolences to a friend or family member who is grieving a recent death, you should NOT use this expression. You could say, “I’m so sorry your father has died” or “He has passed away but he is still with us in spirit.” You would NOT say, “Hey, I heard your dad keeled over. I’m so sorry.” This would be offensive.

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

“I’m so sick I feel like I could keel over any minute.”

“One minute he was laughing and joking, and the next minute he just keeled over. They said it was a heart attack.”

“When I keel over I want to be cremated and have my ashes tossed into the Pacific Ocean.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

qingyinyan pass away
by qingyinyan
eye2eye I guess that he thinks that he is too old to continue living .
by eye2eye
going to die
by naroli
die
by yeehan9810
Catrachita he is going to die?
by Catrachita
die
by maraffss
i think keel over means (die)
by hwaida
to die
by Waterwater741
23765 he is thought to be going to pass away in year or two. I think `to pass away` looks more polite.
by 23765
hi everybody, it's quite a difficult phrase, isn't it?:) my guess is that it means he is thought to be dying in the near future. or not? I'm not convinced at all:)
by ildi.ildiko
to pass away to kick the bucket
by hesterlucky
"to keel over" means "to fall down", but, imho, he's talking about "passing away", "dying"
by Estellita
I'm gonna to die through a year or two.
by rehab_gad2000
I think it means ..dead
by yokofly
die, be too old to do sth
by Lindsay
die in any moment
by isabellaego
to drop dead on the spot, usually without warning and enexpectedly.
by way da lone
I think it is because people think he will pass away.
by Serpiro
Gaperi Like being dead, being dying or fainting
by Gaperi
He will die.
by daniloprates
s640663 dying
by s640663

Want to guess next week's slang?

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Comments

Log in to Comment

BBoy Roty

BBoy Roty

Brazil

Kell over means Die suddenly.

06:43 PM Feb 06 2012 |

Lukas915

Austria

good explination!

02:10 PM Apr 27 2007 |

Mewzaa

Mewzaa

Thailand

Cool! I didn’t know this word before. Now i know how to use it. Thanks!

06:44 AM Apr 14 2007 |

jose luis

jose luis

Colombia

yes is good idea say he’s keel over than you gonna died

11:44 PM Apr 12 2007 |

mayavan

India

it is realy that is rebember

10:39 PM Apr 12 2007 |

RomeoNil

Germany

it is really a good speed of speach for me. Thanks!

07:35 PM Apr 12 2007 |

ayenk

ayenk

Indonesia

Work hard at my garden today, i thought i’m gonna keel over, since my body hurt everywhere..

04:19 PM Apr 12 2007 |

mimielhefnawy

Egypt

Its humorous idiom, it is usually said when someone talking about death in jokes

03:51 PM Apr 12 2007 |

salomon

Namibia

it was easy

01:43 PM Apr 12 2007 |

kobra

kobra

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Thanks . because it was the first time I heard one lesson with normal speed speaking . anyway thanks a lot . please talk a little slowly .

01:06 PM Apr 12 2007 |

Crystalvine

China

:)I will keel over…I’m in hostipal now,but just have a cold,haha

12:38 PM Apr 12 2007 |

Amurka

Amurka

Turkmenistan

Ohhh!! I have lots of work that I’will be keeled over soon!

12:31 PM Apr 12 2007 |

teddy008

teddy008

China

It’s keel over not kill over.

09:58 AM Apr 12 2007 |

assia

assia

Algeria

Killed over means that someone going to die soon ;-)

09:21 AM Apr 12 2007 |

somaliland

somaliland

Somalia

i have seen a person when he finished the bottle of whiskey, stood up to leave and keeled over,but he didn’t die

05:56 AM Apr 12 2007 |

hady

hady

Russian Federation

i’m sick and tired of being enthusiastic about life, i wanna keel over ))))

05:28 AM Apr 12 2007 |

ellen chiang

China

ah huh! when I keel over I want to be cremated and have my ashes tossed into the Yangtze River

12:22 AM Apr 12 2007 |

Likes (149):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast