Reef
[riːf] or [rif]
Definition
(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.
(noun.) a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water.
(verb.) reduce (a sail) by taking in a reef.
(verb.) roll up (a portion of a sail) in order to reduce its area.
(verb.) lower and bring partially inboard; 'reef the sailboat's mast'.
Checker: Wendy--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) A chain or range of rocks lying at or near the surface of the water. See Coral reefs, under Coral.
(n.) A large vein of auriferous quartz; -- so called in Australia. Hence, any body of rock yielding valuable ore.
(v. t.) 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.
(v. t.) 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.
Inputed by Alex
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. Take in (sail).
Edited by Antony
Definition
n. a portion of a sail rolled or folded up.—v.t. to reduce the exposed surface of as a sail: to gather up any material in a similar way.—ns. Reef′-band a strong strip of canvas extending across a sail to strengthen it; Reef′er a reef-oyster: one who reefs: a short jacket worn by sailors: a midshipman; Reef′-goose the common wild goose of North America; Reef′ing the gathering up of a curtain in short festoons; Reef′ing-jack′et a pea-jacket; Reef′-knot a square knot; Reef′-line a temporary means of spilling a sail; Reef′-pend′ant in fore and aft sails a rope through a sheave-hole in the boom; Reef′-squid a lashing used aboard the luggers on the south coast of England; Reef′-tack′le a tackle used to facilitate reefing.—adjs. Reef′y full of reefs; Close′-reefed the condition of a sail when all its reefs have been taken in.
n. a chain of rocks lying at or near the surface of the water: a shoal or elevated bank: a lode vein or ledge in Australian mining phraseology.
adj. (Scot.) scabby.—n. the itch.
Editor: Priscilla
Examples
- A reef of rocks, black and rough, stretches far into the sea. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- It reefs its sail when a storm threatens or the wind blows pretty hard, and furls it entirely and goes down when a gale blows. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- It is commonly found in reefs or veins among quartz, and in alluvial deposits; it is separated, in the former case, by quarrying, crushing, washing and treatment with mercury. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- It was on the principle of the gradual subsidence (and elevation) of the bed of the Pacific Ocean that Darwin accounted for the formation of coral reefs. Walter Libby. An Introduction to the History of Science.
- Right enough, as long as we're in the open sea, retorted Martin gloomily, but Lord help us if we touch any of them darned reefs. Fergus Hume. The Island of Fantasy.
- We reefed the fore-sail and set him, and hauled aft the fore-sheet; the helm was hard a-weather. Jonathan Swift. Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World.
Checked by Balder