reef
IPA: rˈif
noun
- A chain or range of rocks, sand, or coral lying at or near the surface of the water.
- (Australia, South Africa) A large vein of auriferous quartz; hence, any body of rock yielding valuable ore.
- (nautical) A portion of a sail rolled and tied down to lessen the area exposed in a high wind.
- A reef knot.
- (Now chiefly dialectal) The itch; any eruptive skin disorder.
- (Now chiefly dialectal) Dandruff.
- A surname from German.
verb
- (nautical) To take in part of a sail in order to adapt the size of the sail to the force of the wind.
- (Australia) To pull or yank strongly, especially in relation to horse riding.
- (nautical, of paddles) To move the floats of a paddle wheel toward its center so that they will not dip so deeply.
- (slang) To manipulate the lining of a person's pocket in order to steal the contents unnoticed.
adjective
- Scabby; scurvy.
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Examples of "reef" in Sentences
- The reefs around the islands teem with life.
- Coral reefs fringe the islands of the Caribbean.
- It is the largest coral reef system in the world.
- Along the seacoast are coral reef and sand beaches.
- The island stands on the northern sector of the reef.
- The offshore reefs are considered some of the finest in the world.
- The island is in the subtropical zone and was formed out of coral reef.
- Scuba divers and snorkelers enjoy the shallow reefs close to the island.
- Mangroves enhance the biomass of coral reef fish communities in the Caribbean.
- Depletion of the fisheries has however damaged the coral reefs in recent years.
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