cave

[keyv]

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

/ 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

²

/ ˈkeɪvɪ /

noun

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

1. watch out!

cave

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of cave¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of cave¹

C13: from Old French, from Latin cava, plural of cavum cavity, from cavus hollow

Origin of cave²

from Latin cavē! beware!

Example Sentences

"I suffered from acute depression for a while. I think it would be a fairly rare individual who didn't cave in under those circumstances."

From BBC

The consensus is that, like last time, Democrats will end up caving in the end.

From Salon

I’d say it’s a man cave except it’s not that cool.

From Los Angeles Times

The first was to cave in and stop buying Russian oil.

From BBC

"He's well-versed in the bush and there's caves up there, so it'll be a while before they find him, I think," a neighbour told the ABC.

From BBC

Related Words

• cavern 
• grotto