Reed"less, a. Destitute of reeds; as, reedless banks.
Reed"ling (-l?ng), n. (Zoöl.) The European bearded titmouse (Panurus
biarmicus); -- called also reed bunting, bearded pinnock, and lesser
butcher bird.
It is orange brown, marked with black, white, and yellow on the wings.
The male has a tuft of black feathers on each side of the face.
Reed"-mace` (-m?s`), n. (Bot.) The cat-tail.
Reed"work` (-w?rk`), n. (Mus.) A collective name for the reed stops of
an organ.
Reed"y (-?), a. 1. Abounding with reeds; covered with reeds. "A reedy
pool." Thomson .
2. Having the quality of reed in tone, that is, &?;&?;&?;&?;&?; and
thin^ as some voices.
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 (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. [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.
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, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reefed (rft); 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.
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Reef"-band` (r?f"b?nd`), n. (Naut.) A piece of canvas sewed across a
sail to strengthen it in the part where the eyelet holes for reefing
are made. Totten.
Reef"er (-?r), n. 1. (Naut.) One who reefs; -- a name often given to
midshipmen. Marryat.