Reef

Noun

 * 1) A chain or range of rocks, sand, or coral lying at or near the surface of the water.
 * 2)  & (South Africa) A large vein of auriferous quartz; hence, any body of rock yielding valuable ore.
 * 3)  A portion of a sail rolled and tied down to lessen the area exposed in a high wind.
 * 4) A reef knot.

Derived terms

 * coral reef
 * reef rash

Verb

 * 1)  To take in part of a sail in order to adapt the size of the sail to the force of the wind.
 * 2)  To pull or yank strongly "He reefed the horse's head around sharply."

Adjectives for Reef
submerged terranean; frowning; browed.; hidden; sunken; encircling; sublisping; bluff; leering; scowling; darkling; dangerous.

Verbs for Reef
avoid—; cast upon—; drift to—; drive upon—; doom to—; founder on—; lash—; pound—; shatter on—s; thunder on—; — descends ; —extends ; —menaces; —ranges; —stretches; —threatens.

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

Pronunciation




Etymology
From rif.

Noun

 * Croatian: greben
 * Dutch:
 * Finnish: (rocks),  (sand),  (coral)
 * French: ,
 * German:
 * Greek:, ξέρα, ξέρη, σκόπελος


 * Irish:
 * Italian:, barriera
 * Japanese: (shō)
 * Portuguese:, , restinga
 * Russian: риф
 * Spanish:
 * Swedish:


 * French:


 * Italian:


 * Dutch:
 * Finnish:
 * Italian:


 * Japanese: 縮帆 (shukuho)
 * Russian: риф
 * Scottish Gaelic: riof


 * : *hakau

Verb

 * Dutch: reffen
 * Finnish:
 * French: prendre un ris (prise de ris)


 * Italian:
 * Polish:
 * Scottish Gaelic: riof

Anagrams

 * fere
 * free