reef as a noun: - 1
Reef - 2
reef - 3
as a verb: - 1
- 2
- 3
reef
noun
1 reef
A submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water.
Roget 346:
island,
isle,
islet,
eyot†,
ait†,
holf†,
reef,
atoll,
breaker;
archipelago;
islander.
Dutch: reef, rif
Polish: rafa, rafa koralowa
2 Reef
A rocky region in the southern Transvaal in northeastern South Africa; contains rich gold deposits and coal and manganese.
synonyms: Rand, Witwatersrand.
3 reef
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.
verb
1 reef
Lower and bring partially inboard.
Roget 275:
move slowly
etc.
adv.;
creep,
crawl,
lag,
slug,
drawl,
linger,
loiter,
saunter;
plod,
trudge,
stump along,
lumber;
trail,
drag;
dawdle
etc.
(be inactive)
683;
grovel,
worm one's way,
steal along;
job on,
rub on,
bundle on;
toddle,
waddle,
wabble†,
slug,
traipse,
slouch,
shuffle,
halt,
hobble,
limp,
caludicate†,
shamble;
flag,
falter,
trotter,
stagger;
mince,
step short;
march in slow time,
march in funeral procession;
take one's time;
hang fire
etc.
(be late)
133.
retard,
relax;
slacken,
check,
moderate,
rein in,
curb;
reef;
strike sail,
shorten sail,
take in sail;
put on the drag,
apply the brake;
clip the wings;
reduce the speed;
slacken speed,
slacken one's pace;
lose ground.
... show more
2 reef
Roll up (a portion of a sail) in order to reduce its area.
3 reef
Reduce (a sail) by taking in a reef.
Moby thesaurus: ait, archipelago, arrest, atoll, backpedal, backwater, bank, bar, bill, brake, breakwater, cape, cay, check, chersonese, clear the decks, clip the wings, consider every angle, continental island, coral head, coral heads, coral island, coral reef, curb, decelerate, delay, delta, detain, dowse sail, draw rein, ease off, ease up, flat, ford, forearm, foreland, furl, guard against, hand a sail, head, headland, hedge, hold back, hold in check, hold up, holm, hook, impede, insularity, ironbound coast, island, island group, islandology, isle, islet, keep back, key, leave out nothing, ledges, lee shore, let down, let up, lose ground, lose momentum, lose speed, make sure, make sure against, moderate, mull, naze, ness, obstruct, oceanic island, overlook no possibility, peninsula, pitfall, play safe, point, prepare for, promontory, provide a hedge, provide against, provide for, quicksands, reduce sail, reef down, rein in, relax, retard, rockbound coast, rocks, sandbank, sandbar, sands, sandspit, set back, shallow, shallows, shelf, shoal, shoal water, shoals, shorten sail, slack off, slack up, slacken, slow, slow down, slow up, snug down, spit, spur, stay, take in sail, take measures, take precautions, take steps, throttle down, tidal flats, tongue, undercurrent, undertow, wetlands ... show more.
reefs
noun
Roget 667:
rocks,
reefs,
coral reef,
sunken rocks,
snags;
sands,
quicksands;
syrt†,
syrtis†;
Goodwin sands,
sandy foundation;
slippery ground;
breakers,
shoals,
shallows,
bank,
shelf,
flat,
lee shore,
ironbound coast;
rock ahead,
breakers ahead.
precipice;
maelstrom,
volcano;
ambush
etc.
530;
pitfall,
trapdoor;
trap
etc.
(snare)
545.
sword of Damocles;
wolf at the door,
snake in the grass,
death in the pot;
latency
etc.
526.
ugly customer,
dangerous person,
le chat qui dort [Fr.];
firebrand,
hornet's nest.
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