Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Reef
Reef
(rēf)
, Noun.
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
(Zool.)
, any stony coral which contributes material to the formation of coral reefs.
– Reef heron
(Zool.)
, any heron of the genus
Demigretta
; as, the blue
.reef heron
(Demigretta jugularis
) of AustraliaReef
,Noun.
[Akin to D. ,
reef
, G. reff
, Sw. ref
; cf. Icel. rif
reef, rifa
to basten together. Cf. Reeve
, Verb.
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.
☞ 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.
Reef
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Reefed
(rēft)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Reefing
.] (Naut.)
To reduce the extent of (as a sail) by rolling 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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Reef
REEF
,Noun.
A certain portion of a sail between the top or bottom and a row of eyelet holes, which is folded or rolled up to contract the sail, when the violence of the wind renders it necessary.
REEF
, n.A chain or range of rocks lying at or near the surface of the water.
REEF
,Verb.
T.