Reef , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reefed (rēft); 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.
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.
&fist; 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 (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.
Hear it pronounced