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noun
1.
a cylinder, frame, or other device that turns on an axis and is used to wind up or pay out something.
2.
a rotatory device attached to a fishing rod at the butt, for winding up or letting out the line.
3.
Photography.
a.
a spool on which film, especially motion-picture film, is wound.
b.
a roll of motion-picture film.
c.
a holder for roll film in a developing tank.
4.
a quantity of something wound on a reel.
5.
Chiefly British. a spool of sewing thread; a roller or bobbin of sewing thread.
verb (used with object)
6.
to wind on a reel, as thread, yarn, etc.
7.
to unwind (silk filaments) from a cocoon.
8.
to pull or draw by winding a line on a reel: to reel a fish in.
00:10
Reel
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is yaff. Does it mean:
| to bark; yelp. |
| chat, to converse |
9.
Idioms reel off, to say, write, or produce quickly and easily: The old sailor reeled off one story after another.
10.
off the reel,
a.
without pause; continuously.
b.
Also, right off the reel. without delay or hesitation; immediately.
Origin:
before 1050; (noun) Middle English rele, Old English hrēol; cognate with Old Norse hræll weaver's rod; (v.) Middle English relen, derivative of rele
before 1050; (noun) Middle English rele, Old English hrēol; cognate with Old Norse hræll weaver's rod; (v.) Middle English relen, derivative of rele
Related forms
reel·a·ble, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
verb (used without object)
1.
to sway or rock under a blow, shock, etc.: The boxer reeled and fell.
2.
to waver or fall back: The troops reeled and then ran.
3.
to sway about in standing or walking, as from dizziness, intoxication, etc.; stagger.
4.
to turn round and round; whirl.
5.
to have a sensation of whirling: His brain reeled.
verb (used with object)
6.
to cause to reel.
noun
7.
an act of reeling; a reeling or staggering movement.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To Reel
Collins
World English Dictionary
reel1 (riːl, rɪəl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | US equivalent: spool any of various cylindrical objects or frames that turn on an axis and onto which film, magnetic tape, paper tape, wire, thread, etc, may be wound |
| 2. | angling a device for winding, casting, etc, consisting of a revolving spool with a handle, attached to a fishing rod |
| 3. | a roll of celluloid exhibiting a sequence of photographs to be projected |
| —vb (foll by in, out | |
| 4. | to wind (cotton, thread, etc) onto a reel |
| 5. | to wind or draw with a reel: to reel in a fish |
| [Old English hrēol; related to Old Norse hrǣll weaver's rod, Greek krekein to weave] | |
| 'reelable1 | |
| —adj | |
| 'reeler1 | |
| —n | |
| reel2 (riːl, rɪəl) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to sway, esp under the shock of a blow or through dizziness or drunkenness |
| 2. | to whirl about or have the feeling of whirling about: his brain reeled |
| —n | |
| 3. | a staggering or swaying motion or sensation |
| [C14 relen, probably from | |
| reel3 (riːl, rɪəl) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | any of various lively Scottish dances, such as the eightsome reel and foursome reel for a fixed number of couples who combine in square and circular formations |
| 2. | a piece of music having eight quavers to the bar composed for or in the rhythm of this dance |
| [C18: from | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
reel
"frame turning on an axis," late O.E. hreol "reel for winding thread," from P.Gmc. *khrekhulaz; probably related to hrægel "garment," and O.N. hræll "spindle." Specifically of the fishing rod attachment from 1726; of a film projector apparatus from 1896. The verb meaning "to wind on a reel"
is recorded from 1393, from the noun. To reel off "rattle off without pause or effort" is from 1837. Reel-to-reel type of tape deck is attested from 1961.
reel
"lively Highland dance," 1585, probably a special use of the verb sense of reel (n.1). Applied to the music for such a dance from 1591.
reel
"to whirl around," c.1300, probably from reel (n.1), on notion of "spinning." Of the mind, from 1796.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia
reel
in motion pictures, a light circular frame with radial arms and a central axis, originally designed to hold approximately 1,000 feet (300 m) of 35-millimetre motion-picture film. In the early days of motion pictures, each reel ran about 10 minutes, and the length of a picture was indicated by the number of its reels. A film was a "one-reeler," a "two-reeler," or longer.
Learn more about reel with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Example sentences
Or watching the constant reel of old game commercials projected on the wall.
The waters contain numerous trout species, and you can rod-and-reel fish or fly fish.
Kudos to science for making the imagination reel with rambunctious flair.
Screen the reel and let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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