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REEFING
Noun
reefing (plural reefings)
The process of reefing (taking in a sail); an act of reefing; also used of clothing.
(AU, NZ) A reef (seam of quartz).
Verb
reefing
present participle of reef
Anagrams
• feigner, freeing
Source: Wiktionary
Reef"ing, n. (Naut.)
Definition: The process of taking in a reef. Reefing bowsprit, a bowsprit so rigged that it can easily be run in or shortened by sliding inboard, as in cutters.
REEF
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
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23 January 2025
LEFT
(adjective) being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the west when facing north; “my left hand”; “left center field”; “the left bank of a river is bank on your left side when you are facing downstream”
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