reef
(noun) one of several strips across a sail that can be taken in or rolled up to lessen the area of the sail that is exposed to the wind
Witwatersrand, Rand, Reef
(noun) a rocky region in the southern Transvaal in northeastern South Africa; contains rich gold deposits and coal and manganese
reef
(noun) a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
reef
(verb) reduce (a sail) by taking in a reef
reef
(verb) roll up (a portion of a sail) in order to reduce its area
reef
(verb) lower and bring partially inboard; “reef the sailboat’s mast”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
reef (plural reefs)
A chain or range of rocks, sand, or coral lying at or near the surface of the water.
(Australia, South Africa) A large vein of auriferous quartz; hence, any body of rock yielding valuable ore.
(nautical) A portion of a sail rolled and tied down to lessen the area exposed in a high wind.
A reef knot.
reef (third-person singular simple present reefs, present participle reefing, simple past and past participle reefed)
(nautical) To take in part of a sail in order to adapt the size of the sail to the force of the wind.
(Australian) To pull or yank strongly, especially in relation to horse riding.
(nautical, of paddles) To move the floats of a paddle wheel toward its center so that they will not dip so deeply.
reef (comparative reefer or more reef, superlative reefest or most reef)
Scabby; scurvy.
• See also scabby
reef (plural reefs)
(Now chiefly dialectal) The itch; any eruptive skin disorder.
(Now chiefly dialectal) Dandruff.
• -free, Free, feer, fere, free
Source: Wiktionary
Reef (rf), n. Etym: [Akin to D. rif, G. riff, Icel. rif, Dan. rev; cf. Icel. rifa rift, rent, fissure, rifa to rive, bear. Cf. Rift, Rive.]
1. A chain or range of rocks lying at or near the surface of the water. See Coral reefs, under Coral.
2. (Mining.)
Definition: A large vein of auriferous quartz; -- so called in Australia. Hence, any body of rock yielding valuable ore. Reef builder (Zoöl.), any stony coral which contributes material to the formation of coral reefs.
– Reef heron (Zoöl.), any heron of the genus Demigretta; as, the blue reef heron (D.jugularis) of Australia.
Reef, n. Etym: [Akin to D. reef, G. reff, Sw. ref; cf. Icel. rif reef, rifa to basten together. Cf. Reeve, v. t., River.] (Naut.)
Definition: That part of a sail which is taken in or let out by means of the reef points, in order to adapt the size of the sail to the force of the wind.
Note: From the head to the first reef-band, in square sails, is termed the first reef; from this to the next is the second reef; and so on. In fore-and-aft sails, which reef on the foot, the first reef is the lowest part. Totten. Close reef, the last reef that can be put in.
– Reef band. See Reef-band in the Vocabulary.
– Reef knot, the knot which is used in tying reef pointss. See Illust. under Knot.
– Reef line, a small rope formerly used to reef the courses by being passed spirally round the yard and through the holes of the reef. Totten.
– Reef pioints, pieces of small rope passing through the eyelet holes of a reef-band, and used reefing the sail.
– Reef tackle, a tackle by which the reef cringles, or rings, of a sail are hauled up to the yard for reefing. Totten.
– To take a reef in, to reduce the size of (a sail) by folding or rolling up a reef, and lashing it to the spar.
Reef, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reefed (reft); p. pr. & vb. n. Reefing.] (Naut.)
Definition: To reduce the extent of (as a sail) by roiling or folding a certain portion of it and making it fast to the yard or spar. Totten. To reef the paddles, to move the floats of a paddle wheel toward its center so that they will not dip so deeply.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
3 July 2025
(noun) the faculty through which the external world is apprehended; “in the dark he had to depend on touch and on his senses of smell and hearing”
Contrary to popular belief, coffee beans are not technically beans. They are referred to as such because of their resemblance to legumes. A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit, often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit.
