Keelson

Preserved but no longer current.

Also seen as: Kelson

Meaning · English

A beam running length- wise above the keel of a ship, and bolted to the middle of the floor-frames, in order to stiffen the vessel.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “Keelson” mean?

A beam running length- wise above the keel of a ship, and bolted to the middle of the floor-frames, in order to stiffen the vessel.

Is “Keelson” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.