cave Meaning & Definition
What Does Cave Mean?
As a noun, cave means A large, naturally-occurring cavity formed underground or in the face of a cliff or a hillside. It can also mean A hole, depression, or gap in earth or rock, whether natural or man-made. As a verb, it means To surrender. As an interjection, it means look out!; beware!.
Word Facts for Cave
| Part of speech | noun, verb, interjection |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /keɪv/ |
| Synonyms | undermine, spelunk and earthhole |
| Plural | caves |
| Verb forms | caves, caving, caved |
Cave Definition (Noun)
- A large, naturally-occurring cavity formed underground or in the face of a cliff or a hillside.
We found a cave on the mountainside where we could take shelter.
- A hole, depression, or gap in earth or rock, whether natural or man-made.
- A storage cellar, especially for wine or cheese.
This wine has been aged in our cave for thirty years.
- A place of retreat, such as a man cave.
My room was a cozy cave where I could escape from my family.
- A naturally-occurring cavity in bedrock which is large enough to be entered by an adult.
It was not strictly a cave, but a narrow fissure in the rock.
- A shielded area where nuclear experiments can be carried out.
- Debris, particularly broken rock, which falls into a drill hole and interferes with drilling.
- A collapse or cave-in.
- The vagina.
- A group that breaks from a larger political party or faction on a particular issue.
- Any hollow place, or part; a cavity.
- A code cave.
Cave as a Verb
- To surrender.
He caved under pressure.
- To collapse.
First the braces buckled, then the roof began to cave, then we ran.
- To hollow out or undermine.
The levee has been severely caved by the river current.
- To engage in the recreational exploration of caves.
- In room-and-pillar mining, to extract a deposit of rock by breaking down a pillar which had been holding it in place.
The deposit is caved by knocking out the posts.
- To work over tailings to dress small pieces of marketable ore.
- To dwell in a cave.
Cave as an Interjection
- look out!; beware!
Noun
- (drilling) Debris, particularly broken rock, which falls into a drill hole and interferes with drilling.
- (often "Cave") A group that breaks from a larger political party or faction on a particular issue.
Interjection
- (public school slang) look out!; beware!
Synonyms of Cave
Cave synonyms and antonyms →Cave in a Sentence
We found a cave on the mountainside where we could take shelter.
This wine has been aged in our cave for thirty years.
My room was a cozy cave where I could escape from my family.
It was not strictly a cave, but a narrow fissure in the rock.
He caved under pressure.
First the braces buckled, then the roof began to cave, then we ran.
The levee has been severely caved by the river current.
The deposit is caved by knocking out the posts.
I have caved from Yugoslavia to Kentucky.
Word Forms & Grammar
cave (plural caves)
cave (third-person singular simple present caves, present participle caving, simple past and past participle caved)
cave
Words That Rhyme With Cave
Origin of Cave
Origin 1: From Middle English cave, borrowed from Old French cave, from Latin cava (“cavity”), from cavus (“hollow”). Cognate with Tocharian B kor (“throat”), Albanian cup (“odd, uneven”), Ancient Greek κύαρ (kúar, “eye of needle, earhole”), Old Armenian սոր (sor, “hole”), Sanskrit शून्य (śūnya, “empty, barren, zero”). Displaced native Old English sċræf. More at cavum, cavus and cage.
Origin 2: Learned borrowing from Latin cavē, second-person singular present active imperative of caveō (“to beware”). Used at Eton College, Berkshire.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cave
Is cave a noun or a verb?
Cave is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb and an interjection.
What is another word for cave?
Close synonyms of cave are undermine, spelunk and earthhole. See the full list of cave synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of cave?
The plural of cave is caves.
What is the past tense of cave?
The past tense of cave is caved. The present participle is caving.