noun
- A submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water.
- A rocky region in the southern Transvaal in northeastern South Africa; contains rich gold deposits and coal and manganese.
- synonyms: Witwatersrand, Rand
- 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
- Lower and bring partially inboard.
- usage: "reef the sailboat's mast"
- Roll up (a portion of a sail) in order to reduce its area.
- Reduce (a sail) by taking in a reef. .
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
| APA | WordNet. (2010). Reef. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/reef/definitions/1324369 |
| Chicago | WordNet. 2010. "Reef" http://smartdefine.org/reef/definitions/1324369 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | WordNet 2010, Reef, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/reef/definitions/1324369>. |
| MLA | WordNet. "Reef" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/reef/definitions/1324369> |