heaved over

[Coffee Break]

Hello everyone. I encountered this expression, "heaved over", and I am wondering what it means in the following sentences:

He cleared his throat and spoke aloud.
“Where the hell am I? Where was I?”
He heaved over and lay face downwards in the crevice, his cheeks on the lifebelt.
“Can’t sleep.”

- William Golding, Pincher Martin, Chapter 6

This is a novel published in the United Kingdom in 1956. The novel mainly follows the state of mind of a sailor called Christopher "Pincher" Martin, a temporary naval lieutenant who is apparently desperately fighting for his life in the Atlantic after the military ship has sunk. Here, he has arrived at an island in the sea. He is now trying to sleep.

Here, I am wondering what "heave over" would mean.
I learned in the dictionary that "heave up" can mean "lift the body upwards," but this is "heave over," so I am not sure.

I would very much appreciate your help.

 

[Tarheel]

Consider the entire phrase. When he heaved over he wound up on his face. What happened?

 

[Tarheel]

"Where the hell was I? Where am I?'
.
You were in the water. Now you're on an island.

 

[Coffee Break]

@Tarheel,

Thank you very much for the explanation.
Hmm, considering that he ended up lying with his face down, by "heaved over," it could mean that he lifted his body, and turned over... (I hope my guess is right. )
There is no dictionary entry for "heave over," but I guess it is a combination of "to heave" and "to turn over."
I truly appreciate your help.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, that's right. Well done.

This is a very high-level book for you to read. Just remember that you are not going to find the meaning of a lot of the words that Golding uses in contemporary dictionaries.

 

[Coffee Break]

@jutfrank,

Thank you very much for the kindness.
Yes, I think it would be a very challenging read... But I think I can continue reading this book, all thanks to your help.
I sincerely appreciate your help.

 

[Tdol]

Also, get to the end of this masterpiece for a stunning twist, which is well worth ironing over a few cracks in precise understanding for. This is a truly great novel that will blow your socks off- go for the bigger picture. Golding wrote a number of splendid novels, but this one took my breath away.

 

[Coffee Break]

@Tdol,

Thank you very much for the comment.
Reading your comment, I really feel like I must finish this masterpiece, especially for that stunning twist!
I sincerely appreciate your kindness.

 

[Tarheel]

@Tarheel,

Thank you very much for the explanation.
Hmm, considering that he ended up lying with his face down, by "heaved over," it could mean that he lifted his body, and turned over... (I hope my guess is right. )
There is no dictionary entry for "heave over," but I guess it is a combination of "to heave" and "to turn over."
I truly appreciate your help.

You might be right, but I was thinking he simply fell on his face. (He was probably exhausted.) Anyhow, it's good for you to get in the habit of figuring things out for yourself. (You learn things that way.)

 

[Coffee Break]

@Tarheel,

Thank you very much for the explanation.
So it would be likely that, after heaving (=lifting) his body upwards, he just fell on his face.
I truly appreciate your help.

 

[emsr2d2]

The use of "heave over" here suggests to me either that he was a very heavy man, or that he really struggled to move his body (perhaps because he was feeling very weak).

 

[Coffee Break]

@emsr2d2,

Thank you very much for the explanation.
So "heave" implies that he was a heavy man, or he was exhausted that every movement required effort.
I truly appreciate your help.

 

[Tarheel]

@Tarheel,

Thank you very much for the explanation.
So it would be likely that, after heaving (=lifting) his body upwards, he just fell on his face.
I truly appreciate your help.

I really don't think he did any lifting -- not even himself. (Especially not himself.)

www.dictionary.com

 

[Coffee Break]

@Tarheel,

Thank you very much for the explanation.
Then, it would just mean that he pushed his body up, and turned over, I guess.
I found this dictionary entry of "heave", which says "to raise or lift with effort or force; hoist:to heave a heavy ax", so I assumed that he would have lifted his body...
I truly appreciate your help.

 

[Tarheel]

This writer has a different style than most. In any case, you can't lift your own body.