to reef
1
9.1
- verb
- /rif/
- Specialized
:
rizar (la vela)
- Another dreadful stormy day which continued through the night; sails were reefed and the ship was left to take its own course at 3:00 PM.
- reef the sail
Examples
-
The Taig men reefed their sails.
Fiction book (1999) -
We had never sailed before and learned, as the best pirates would, underway; we reefed at a turn on one side of the lake and almost capsized.
Fiction book (1990) -
Reef the sail and let's start rowing toward the lee side of the island.
Fiction book (1991) -
Reef them down.
-
You can't reef it or roll it on the mast, nor easily carry an alternate size.
Blog text (1) -
You sleep when you can and work when you are up, whether it is your watch or not, helping with changing or reefing sails, prepping for meals, cleaning, etc.
Blog text (7) -
All sails were reefed and tied, but the rising tide shifted the vessel slightly, swinging the bowsprit toward us.
Fiction book (1992) -
The captain ordered the crew to reef the sails as the storm approached.
-
To ensure stability during the strong winds, the sailors quickly reefed the mainsail.
-
As the winds picked up, the sailor had to reef the sail to maintain control of the boat.
Compounds
- Specialized
12
4.1
A long narrow line of coral running parallel to the coast with shallow water between it and the land
A national park in Utah with colorful rocks, canyons, and desert plants and animals
- Specialized
A short rope attached to a sail that sailors use to make the sail smaller in strong wind
- Specialized
A short piece of rope sewn into a sail to make the sail smaller in strong wind
- Specialized
A way of tying two rope ends by crossing them left then right to hold bandages or sails
How Reduced
Surface Forms
Etymology
Reef as a verb comes from that same idea of 'folding' or 'taking in' part of a sail, so to reef means to roll or fold part of the sail to make it smaller in strong wind.