reefing
noun
1.
a part of a sail that is rolled and tied down to reduce the area exposed to the wind.
verb (used with object)
2.
to shorten (sail) by tying in one or more reefs.
3.
to reduce the length of (a topmast, a bowsprit, etc.), as by lowering, sliding inboard, or the like.
4.
to pull (old oakum) out of seams, as with a rave hook (often followed by out ).
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English refe (noun) < Dutch reef
1350–1400; Middle English refe (noun) < Dutch reef
Related forms
un·reefed, adjective
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.
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|
Link To reefing
00:10
Reefing
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
reef1 (riːf) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a ridge of rock, sand, coral, etc, the top of which lies close to the surface of the sea |
| 2. | a ridge- or mound-like structure built by sedentary calcareous organisms (esp corals) and consisting mainly of their remains |
| 3. | a vein of ore, esp one of gold-bearing quartz |
| [C16: from Middle Dutch ref, from Old Norse rif | |
| reef2 (riːf) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the part gathered in when sail area is reduced, as in a high wind |
| —vb | |
| 2. | to reduce the area of (sail) by taking in a reef |
| 3. | (tr) to shorten or bring inboard (a spar) |
| [C14: from Middle Dutch rif; related to Old Norse rif reef, | |
| Reef (riːf) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | another name for the Great Barrier Reef |
| 2. | another name for the Witwatersrand |
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
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
reef
"ridge underwater," 1584, probably via Du. riffe, from O.N. rif "ridge," lit. "rib" (see rib).
reef
"horizontal section of sail," late 14c., from O.N. rif "reef of a sail," probably a transferred use of rif "ridge, rib" (see rib). Cf. Ger. reff, Swed. ref, Norw. riv, Dan. reb, all from the O.N. word. Reefer as a nickname for "midshipman" (1818) is source of the meaning "coat
of a nautical cut" (1878).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
reefing reef·ing (rē'fĭng)
n.
Surgical reduction of the extent of a tissue by folding it and securing with sutures.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
reef  (rēf) Pronunciation Key
A strip or ridge of rocks, sand, or coral that rises to or near the surface of a body of water. See more at coral reef. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
reefer definition[ˈrifɚ]
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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