1. a large vat or tub used in brewing or dyeing
Usage: chiefly British; also spelled kieve

1. to soak or steep (fibers, cloth, etc.) in a vat or tub
Usage: chiefly British; textile and brewing contexts

Examples

• The dyer filled the keeve with indigo dye for the wool.
• Flax fibers were keevéd in water to soften them before spinning.
• The brewery's large keeve held hundreds of gallons of wort.
• Workers keeve the linen in the vat for several hours.
• The keeve in the textile mill was heated to the proper temperature.