Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
reef line

reef line

8.1
A short rope attached to a sail that sailors use to make the sail smaller in strong wind
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : línea de rizo
  • Knowing how to tie a reef line quickly is essential for safe sailing.

Examples

  • Before the storm began, the crew made sure each reef line was tightly fastened.

  • The reef line was frayed and needed replacement.

  • The sailor grabbed the reef line to secure the shortened sail in the heavy winds.

  • Make sure to check the reef lines before we set sail.

  • The captain expertly adjusted the reef line to reduce the sail's area during the storm.

  • To prevent capsizing, the sailors quickly secured the reef line before the winds picked up.

  • As the winds became stronger, the crew prepared to tie in the reef line to keep the boat steady.

Synonyms

reef point
vsreef line
  • Specialized
9.0

A short piece of rope sewn into a sail to make the sail smaller in strong wind

is the same in meaning but uses a different term for that feature
reefing line
vsreef line
  • Specialized
9.3

A short rope sewn into a sail to tie part down and make the sail smaller in strong wind

is used more generally to tie down sail to reduce its area in strong winds

Surface Forms

reef line singular
reef lines plural

Morphology

reef + line

Given 'reef' (a horizontal strip on a sail used to reduce area) and 'line' (a rope), the compound 'reef line' is directly interpretable as the rope associated with reefing the sail. Although nautical, the noun+noun compositional pattern makes the purpose-based meaning predictable to learners who know both constituent senses.

Etymology

Reef line comes from a short line, a rope sailors use to reef a sail by tying down part of it so the sail becomes smaller in strong wind. So a Reef line means a rope used to 'make the sail smaller'.