verb
stave
To break or crush something inward.
The collision staved in the boat’s side.
Etymology
The verb stave is associated with the wooden staves of a vessel. To stave it in is to break those sides inward, then more generally to crush inward.
More examples
- A falling beam staved the roof inward.
- The waves threatened to stave in the wooden hull.
- The damaged crate had been staved in at one corner.
Forms
stave · staves · staved · stove · staving