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reefmore about reef

reef

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Reef  \Reef\  (r?f),  n.  [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.)  A  large  vein  of  auriferous  quartz;  --  so  called 
  in  Australia.  Hence  any  body  of  rock  yielding  valuable 
  ore. 
 
  {Reef  builder}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  stony  coral  which  contributes 
  material  to  the  formation  of  coral  reefs. 
 
  {Reef  heron}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  heron  of  the  genus  {Demigretta}; 
  as  the  blue  reef  heron  ({D.  jugularis})  of  Australia. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Reef  \Reef\,  n.  [Akin  to  D.  reef,  G.  reff,  Sw  ref;  cf  Icel. 
  rif  reef,  rifa  to  basten  together.  Cf  {Reeve},  v.  t., 
  {River}.]  (Naut.) 
  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  points},  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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Reef  \Reef\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Reefed}  (r[=e]ft);  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Reefing}.]  (Naut.) 
  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  reef 
  n  :  a  submerged  ridge  of  rock  or  coral  near  the  surface  of  the 
  water 
  v  1:  lower  and  bring  partially  inboard,  as  of  a  mast  on  a 
  sailboat 
  2:  roll  up  (a  portion  of  a  sail)  in  order  to  reduce  its  area 
  3:  reduce  (a  sail)  by  taking  in  a  reef




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