Adjacent Words

Reeve definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

REEVE, n. A steward. Obs.
REEVE, n. A bird, the female of the ruff.
REEVE, v.t. In seamen's language, to pass the end of a rope through any hole in a block, thimble, cleat, ring-bolt, cringle, etc.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: female ruff v
1: pass a rope through; "reeve an opening"
2: pass through a hole or opening; "reeve a rope"
3: fasten by passing through a hole or around something

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English reve, from Old English ger?fa, from ge- (associative prefix) + -r?fa (akin to Old English -r?f number, Old High German ruova) — more at co- Date: before 12th century 1. a local administrative agent of an Anglo-Saxon king 2. a medieval English manor officer responsible chiefly for overseeing the discharge of feudal obligations 3. a. the council president in some Canadian municipalities b. a local official charged with enforcement of specific regulations <deer reeve> II. verb (rove or reeved; reeving) Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1627 transitive verb 1. to pass (as a rope) through a hole or opening 2. to fasten by passing through a hole or around something 3. to pass a rope through intransitive verb of a rope to pass through a block or similar device III. noun Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1634 the female of the ruff (sandpiper)

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. 1 hist. a the chief magistrate of a town or district. b an official supervising a landowner's estate. c any of various minor local officials. 2 Can. the president of a village or town council. Etymology: OE (ge)refa, giroefa 2. v.tr. (past rove or reeved) Naut. 1 (usu. foll. by through) thread (a rope or rod etc.) through a ring or other aperture. 2 pass a rope through (a block etc.). 3 fasten (a rope or block) in this way. Etymology: prob. f. Du. reven REEF(2) 3. n. a female ruff (see RUFF(1)). Etymology: 17th c.: orig. unkn.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reve Reve, n. [See Reeve.] An officer, steward, or governor. [Usually written reeve.] [Obs.] --Piers Plowman.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reeve Reeve (r?v), n. (Zo["o]l.) The female of the ruff.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reeve Reeve, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rove (r?v); p. pr. & vb. n. Reeving.] [Cf. D. reven. See Reef, n. & v. t.] (Naut.) To pass, as the end of a pope, through any hole in a block, thimble, cleat, ringbolt, cringle, or the like.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Reeve Reeve, n. [OE. reve, AS. ger?fa. Cf. Sheriff.] an officer, steward, bailiff, or governor; -- used chiefly in compounds; as, shirereeve, now written sheriff; portreeve, etc. --Chaucer. --Piers Plowman.

Moby Thesaurus

G-man, MP, alderman, archon, bailie, bailiff, beadle, beagle, bound bailiff, burghermaster, burgomaster, cabinet member, cabinet minister, captain, catchpole, chancellor, chief of police, city councilman, city father, city manager, commissar, commissioner, constable, councillor, councilman, councilwoman, county commissioner, county supervisor, deputy, deputy sheriff, detective, elder, fed, federal, flic, gendarme, government man, headman, induna, inspector, legislator, lictor, lieutenant, lord mayor, mace-bearer, magistrate, maire, marshal, mayor, minister, minister of state, mounted policeman, narc, officer, patrolman, peace officer, police captain, police commissioner, police constable, police inspector, police matron, police officer, police sergeant, policeman, policewoman, portreeve, roundsman, secretary, secretary of state, selectman, sergeant, sergeant at arms, sheriff, superintendent, supervisor, syndic, tipstaff, tipstaves, trooper, undersecretary, warden