capsize
kuhp-SYZ
/kæpˈsaɪz/
To overturn or cause a boat to overturn in the water.
Applies strictly to watercraft rolling over onto their side or upside down.
The story behind the word. Appeared in 18th-century nautical slang, likely derived from Spanish 'capuzar' (to sink by the head) or Catalan 'capolar' (to turn upside down), combined with English 'head size'.
Word relationships
- overturn: Overturn applies to any object or vehicle, while capsize is specific to watercraft.
- keel over: Keel over can apply to humans fainting or ships falling to one side.
- right: To restore a vessel to an upright position.
Commonly confused with
- founder: Founder means to fill with water and sink; capsize means to turn upside down.
Word family
- capsized (adjective): Turned upside down in water.
Collocations
- capsize in rough seas
- cause to capsize
- risk of capsizing
Example sentences
- "A sudden rogue wave caused the small fishing vessel to capsize instantly." Storm report
Memory hook
CAP (head) goes down to the SIZE (side). Boat turns upside down.
When not to use
Do not use for land vehicles rolling over; use 'overturn' or 'flip'.
Fun facts
- Self-righting lifeboats are specially engineered to flip back up automatically after they capsize.
Related words
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