Also 6 Sc. caue, cawe, 9 dial. keave, keve, kaive, kayve. [This includes several senses of uncertain origin, the connection of some of which is perhaps only apparent. They are taken here chronologically.]
1. intr. To fall as a thing does when overturned; to fall clumsily or helplessly. Usually with over, back over. Sc. (Cf. CAVE v.3)
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XI. xiii. 43. He cawis our [ed. 1553 cauis ouer], furth bokand stremys of blude.
a. 1614. J. Melvill, Diary, 32 (Jam.). Sitting down on a bedside, he caves back over so that his feet stack out stiff and dead.
2. trans. To tilt and overturn; to upset.
1854. Bampton, Lanc. Gloss. (ed. 2), Kayve, to upset, to turn over. ‘He’s keyvt his cart.’
1879. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., Cave, to turn over; to tilt up, so as to empty. ‘Now then, look afore yo’, or yo’n cave that bouk o’er an’ sheed all the milk.’
1882. Lanc. Gloss., 171. Kayve, to overturn, to upset. Kayvt, upset, turned over.
3. To stick up in a tilted position.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (1856), 45. To sette nine of the sheaues with … theire toppes cauen vp soe that they stande just fower square, hauinge three sheaues on euery side, and one in the midst.
4. To toss or push (any part of the body) in a ponderous awkward way.
1808. Jamieson, Cave, keve, to push, to drive backward and forward. To cave the head, to toss it in a haughty or awkward way (like a horse or cow). Ibid., Kaive, to toss the fore leg, to rear (as a horse, a goat). Banffsh.
5. intr. (in same sense.)
1697. W. Cleland, Poems, 66 (Jam.). Upstarts a Priest … And did not ceese to cave and paut, While clyred back was prickt and gald.
1802. R. Anderson, Cumbld. Ball., 25. Sawney … A whornpeype danc’d, and keav’d and pranc’d. Ibid., 81. The laird’s daft son … keaves as he wad wurry me.
1847–78. Halliwell, Keave, to plunge, to struggle. Cumbld.
