cave

1. A large, naturally-occurring cavity formed underground or in the face of a cliff or a hillside.

   We found a cave on the mountainside where we could take shelter.

2. A hole, depression, or gap in earth or rock, whether natural or man-made.
3. A storage cellar, especially for wine or cheese.

   This wine has been aged in our cave for thirty years.

4. A place of retreat, such as a man cave.

   My room was a cozy cave where I could escape from my family.

5. A naturally-occurring cavity in bedrock which is large enough to be entered by an adult.

   It was not strictly a cave, but a narrow fissure in the rock.

6. A shielded area where nuclear experiments can be carried out.
7. (drilling) Debris, particularly broken rock, which falls into a drill hole and interferes with drilling.
8. A collapse or cave-in.
9. The vagina.
10. (often "Cave") A group that breaks from a larger political party or faction on a particular issue.
11. Any hollow place, or part; a cavity.
12. A code cave.

1. To surrender.

   He caved under pressure.

2. To collapse.

   First the braces buckled, then the roof began to cave, then we ran.

3. To hollow out or undermine.

   The levee has been severely caved by the river current.

4. To engage in the recreational exploration of caves.

   I have caved from Yugoslavia to Kentucky.

5. In room-and-pillar mining, to extract a deposit of rock by breaking down a pillar which had been holding it in place.

   The deposit is caved by knocking out the posts.

6. To work over tailings to dress small pieces of marketable ore.
7. To dwell in a cave.

interjection

(public school slang) look out!; beware!