reel

¹ American  

[reel] / ril /

noun

1. a cylinder, frame, or other device that turns on an axis and is used to wind up or pay out something.

2. a rotatory device attached to a fishing rod at the butt, for winding up or letting out the line.

3. Photography.

   1. a spool on which film, especially motion-picture film, is wound.

   2. a roll of motion-picture film.

   3. a holder for roll film in a developing tank.

4. a quantity of something wound on a reel.

5. Chiefly British. a spool of sewing thread; a roller or bobbin of sewing thread.

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verb (used with object)

1. to wind on a reel, as thread, yarn, etc.

2. to unwind (silk filaments) from a cocoon.

3. to pull or draw by winding a line on a reel.

   to reel a fish in.

verb phrase

1. reel off to say, write, or produce quickly and easily.

   The old sailor reeled off one story after another.

idioms

1. off the reel, Also right off the reel.

   1. without pause; continuously.

   2. without delay or hesitation; immediately.

reel ² American  

[reel] / ril /

verb (used without object)

1. to sway or rock under a blow, shock, etc..

   The boxer reeled and fell.

2. to waver or fall back.

   The troops reeled and then ran.

3. to sway about in standing or walking, as from dizziness, intoxication, etc.; stagger.

4. to turn round and round; whirl.

5. to have a sensation of whirling.

   By the time we reached camp, my mind was reeling—there were so many incredible sights to take in!

6. to be in a state of shock, confusion, or disorder.

   The real-estate market is reeling from the compounding effects of oversupply, rising vacancy rates, and weak demand.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause to reel.

noun

1. an act of reeling; a reeling or staggering movement.

reel ³ American  

[reel] / ril /

noun

1. a lively Scottish dance.

2. Virginia reel.

3. music for either of these dances.

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reel ¹ British  

/ riːl, rɪəl /

noun

1. US equivalent: spool.  any of various cylindrical objects or frames that turn on an axis and onto which film, magnetic tape, paper tape, wire, thread, etc, may be wound

2. angling a device for winding, casting, etc, consisting of a revolving spool with a handle, attached to a fishing rod

3. a roll of celluloid exhibiting a sequence of photographs to be projected

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verb

1. to wind (cotton, thread, etc) onto a reel

2. to wind or draw with a reel

   to reel in a fish

reel ² British  

/ riːl, rɪəl /

verb

1. to sway, esp under the shock of a blow or through dizziness or drunkenness

2. to whirl about or have the feeling of whirling about

   his brain reeled

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noun

1. a staggering or swaying motion or sensation

reel ³ British  

/ riːl, rɪəl /

noun

1. any of various lively Scottish dances, such as the eightsome reel and foursome reel for a fixed number of couples who combine in square and circular formations

2. a piece of music having eight quavers to the bar composed for or in the rhythm of this dance

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Synonym Usage

See stagger.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• reeler
  noun
• reelable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of reel¹

First recorded before 1050; Middle English noun rel(e), Old English hrēol; rēol, cognate with Old Norse hræll “weaver's rod”; the verb is derivative of the noun

Origin of reel²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English relen, apparently derivative of rele “rod, reel” ( see reel ¹)

Origin of reel³

First recorded in 1575–85; special use of reel ²

Explanation

A reel is a cylinder that can be wound with flexible material like film or fishing line. If you found dozens of reels of old home movies in your grandparents' attic, you'd search for a projector. You might find an old movie reel, a reel of copper wire, or a fishing reel. Use the reel on your fishing pole to reel in your fish! Yes, it’s a verb, too. And it’s a lively folk dance — or the music for it — from Scotland (Highland reel), or America (Virginia reel). As a verb, reel also means to sway from dizziness. If an ear infection messes with your balance, you might reel down the hall like you were drunk.

Example Sentences

The closure of Hormuz upended about half of Thailand’s oil supply and the government has rushed to offer subsidies and cost-of-living relief as farmers and consumers reel from the higher prices.

From Barron's • May 30, 2026

I’ll admit to very, very briefly thinking it was real after seeing an Instagram reel by actor and comedian Zach Woods.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

The diving reel is used to guide divers through complicated or hazardous terrain underwater.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Everyone has an era in which they can reel off the details of every final - those childhood-turned-teenage years when the kits, colours, goalscorers and captains traipsing Wembley's steep steps are etched in the memory.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Slowly and surely, if prodded correctly, Dr. Finch would unwind the reel of his strange lore to reveal reasoning that glittered with a private light of its own.

From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee

Related Words

• falter
• lurch
• shake
• stagger
• stumble
• teeter