kelson

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kelson, keelson line of timber inside a ship parallel to the keel. XVII. ME. kelswayn, -sweyn, -syng, mod. kelsine, perh. points to an original * kelswin, the nearest parallel to which, and the prob. source, is LG. kielswīn (whence also G. kielschwein, Da. kølsvin, Sw. kölsvin), f. kiel KEEL1 + (prob.) swīn SWINE, used, like cat, dog, horse, for a timber. The form keelson is due to assim. to KEEL1.

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