reed
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reed
a marsh plant with a firm stem; the vibrating part of the mouthpiece of some wind instruments
Not to be confused with:
read – reproduce written words mentally or utter them aloud: read a book; to apprehend the meaning; assume as intended or deducible: read too much into a letter; determine what is being said by the movement of a person’s lips: read lips
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
reed
(rēd)n.
1.
a. Any of various tall perennial grasses, especially of the genera Phragmites and Arundo, having hollow stems and large plumelike panicles and growing in wetlands.
b. Any of several similar plants, such as the papyrus.
c. The stalk of any of these plants.
d. A collection of these stalks: reed for making baskets.
2. Music A primitive wind instrument made of a hollow reed stalk.
3. Music
a. A flexible strip of cane or metal set into the mouthpiece or air opening of certain instruments to produce tone by vibrating in response to a stream of air.
b. An instrument, such as an oboe or clarinet, that is fitted with a reed.
4. A narrow movable frame fitted with reed or metal strips that separate the warp threads in weaving.
5. Architecture A reeding.
[Middle English red, rede, from Old English hrēod.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
reed
(riːd)n
1. (Plants) any of various widely distributed tall grasses of the genus Phragmites, esp P. communis, that grow in swamps and shallow water and have jointed hollow stalks
2. (Plants) the stalk, or stalks collectively, of any of these plants, esp as used for thatching
3. (Crafts) the stalk, or stalks collectively, of any of these plants, esp as used for thatching
4. (Music, other) music
a. a thin piece of cane or metal inserted into the tubes of certain wind instruments, which sets in vibration the air column inside the tube
b. a wind instrument or organ pipe that sounds by means of a reed
5. (Textiles) one of the several vertical parallel wires on a loom that may be moved upwards to separate the warp threads
6. (Architecture) a small semicircular architectural moulding. See also reeding
7. (Units) an ancient Hebrew unit of length equal to six cubits
8. (Archery) an archaic word for arrow
9. broken reed a weak, unreliable, or ineffectual person
vb (tr)
10. to fashion into or supply with reeds or reeding
11. (Crafts) to thatch using reeds
[Old English hreod; related to Old Saxon hriod, Old High German hriot]
Reed
(riːd)n
1. (Biography) Sir Carol. 1906–76, English film director. His films include The Third Man (1949), An Outcast of the Islands (1951), and Oliver! (1968), for which he won an Oscar
2. (Biography) Lou. 1942–2013, US rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist: member of the Velvet Underground (1965–70). His albums include Transformer (1972), Berlin (1973), Street Hassle (1978), New York (1989), Set the Twilight Reeling (1996), and The Raven (2003)
3. (Biography) Walter. 1851–1902, US physician, who proved that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes (1900)
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
reed
(rid)n.
1. the straight stalk of any of various tall grasses, esp. of the genus Phragmites, growing in marshy places.
2. any of the plants themselves.
3. such stalks or plants collectively, esp. as material for thatching.
4. anything made from such a stalk, as an arrow.
5.
a. a small, flexible piece of cane or metal that, attached to the mouth of any of various wind instruments, is set into vibration by a stream of air and, in turn, sets into vibration the air column enclosed in the tube of the instrument.
6. the comblike device in a loom that separates the warp threads during weaving and is used to beat the filling yarns.
7. a small convex molding, usu. one of a series set in parallel rows as decoration.
8. an ancient unit of length, equal to 6 cubits. Ezek. 40:5.
v.t. 9. to decorate with reed.
10. to thatch with or as if with reed.
11. to make vertical grooves on (the edge of a coin, medal, etc.).
[before 900; Middle English; Old English hrēod; c. Old Frisian hriad, Old Saxon hriod, Old High German (h)riot]
reed′like`, adj.
Reed
(rid)n.
1. John, 1887–1920, U.S. journalist and poet.
2. Walter C., 1851–1902, U.S. army surgeon.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
reed
Past participle: reeded
Gerund: reeding
Imperative |
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reed |
reed |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | ![]() graminaceous plant, gramineous plant - cosmopolitan herbaceous or woody plants with hollow jointed stems and long narrow leaves Arundo donax, giant reed - large rhizomatous perennial grasses found by riversides and in ditches having jointed stems and large grey-white feathery panicles carrizo, common reed, ditch reed, Phragmites communis - tall North American reed having relative wide leaves and large plumelike panicles; widely distributed in moist areas; used for mats, screens and arrow shafts |
2. | ![]() | |
3. | Reed - United States physician who proved that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes (1851-1902) | |
4. | reed - a vibrator consisting of a thin strip of stiff material that vibrates to produce a tone when air streams over it; "the clarinetist fitted a new reed onto his mouthpiece" double reed - a pair of joined reeds that vibrate together to produce the sound in some woodwinds | |
5. | ![]() double reed, double-reed instrument - a woodwind that has a pair of joined reeds that vibrate together free-reed - a reed that does not fit closely over the aperture single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind - a beating-reed instrument with a single reed (as a clarinet or saxophone) |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
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Spanish / Español
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
reed
(riːd) noun1. a kind of tall, stiff grass growing on wet or marshy ground. reeds along a river-bank.junco, caña
2. a thin piece of cane or metal in certain wind instruments (eg the oboe, clarinet) which vibrates and makes a sound when the instrument is played. lengüeta
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
reed
→ juncoMultilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009