careen — to move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way; to lean or tilt to one side
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way; to lean or tilt to one side
Pronunciation (IPA): /kəˈriːn/
Example Sentences
- My shopping cart careened through the grocery store when I accidentally let go of it.
- The drunk penguin seemed to careen across the ice, much to the amusement of the zoo visitors.
- After the storm, debris careened down the mountainside.
careen
VERB[/kəˈriːn/]
to move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way; to lean or tilt to one side

Racing wildly out of control

Careen past the screen with a dangerous lean!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From French 'carène' meaning the hull of a ship, derived from Italian 'carena' and ultimately from Latin 'carina' meaning keel. The verb developed from the nautical practice of tilting a ship to one side for cleaning or repair.
Breakdown
French carène (ship's hull) from Latin carina (keel) → English careen (to tilt or move swiftly and uncontrollably)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My shopping cart careened through the grocery store when I accidentally let go of it.”
“The drunk penguin seemed to careen across the ice, much to the amusement of the zoo visitors.”
“After the storm, debris careened down the mountainside.”
“The roller coaster seemed to careen dangerously close to the trees.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
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