reel

[ reel ]

/ ril /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR reel ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

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

Photography.

a spool on which film, especially motion-picture film, is wound.
a roll of motion-picture film.
a holder for roll film in a developing tank.

a quantity of something wound on a reel.

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

verb (used with object)

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

to unwind (silk filaments) from a cocoon.

to pull or draw by winding a line on a reel: to reel a fish in.

Verb Phrases

reel off, to say, write, or produce quickly and easily: The old sailor reeled off one story after another.

Nearby words

Idioms

off the reel,

without pause; continuously.
without delay or hesitation; immediately.

Also right off the reel.

Origin of reel

before 1050; (noun) Middle English rele, Old English hrēol; cognate with Old Norse hræll weaver's rod; (v.) Middle English relen, derivative of rele

Related formsreel·a·ble, adjective

reel

[ reel ]

/ ril /

verb (used without object)

to sway or rock under a blow, shock, etc.: The boxer reeled and fell.

to waver or fall back: The troops reeled and then ran.

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

to turn round and round; whirl.

to have a sensation of whirling: His brain reeled.

verb (used with object)

to cause to reel.

noun

an act of reeling; a reeling or staggering movement.

Origin of reel

1300–50; Middle English relen, apparently derivative of rele reel¹

SYNONYMS FOR reel

3. See stagger.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR reel ON THESAURUS.COM

reel

[ reel ]

/ ril /

noun

a lively Scottish dance.

Virginia reel.

music for either of these dances.

Origin of reel

First recorded in 1575–85; special use of reel²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for reel

Reel retraces his life and work with the spirit of curiosity and adventure that drove du Chaillu in the first place.
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Rosenthal filmed the group as they went about their daily lives and pitched the reel to several networks.
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I felt like I was watching a reel of my own life—or at least my past—and I finished the entire season in one sitting.
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In fact, Sayles was a prize-winning fiction writer before he ever penned a screenplay or shot a reel of film.
John Sayles Declares His Independence|Ben Crair|May 9, 2011|DAILY BEAST

Hollywood lost their reel queen last night after the premiere night of Burlesque.
Ronni Chasen, a Hollywood Wonder Woman|Caroline Graham|November 16, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Ben saw another instrument, a reel with a long line and a triangular piece of board at the end of it.
Ben Hadden|W.H.G. Kingston
If you asked him who played Center for Boston in 1886 he could tell you quick—right off the Reel.
Fables in Slang|George Ade
I struck at least a dozen times with all my might while the line was going off the reel.
Tales of Fishes|Zane Grey
A Virginia reel was in full swing and the noise was terrible.
The Orphan|Clarence E. Mulford
As well expect the man staggering to the outer edge of a precipice not to reel over.
The Letter of the Contract|Basil King

British Dictionary definitions for reel

reel

/ (riːl, rɪəl) /

noun

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 woundUS equivalent: spool

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

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

verb (tr)

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

(foll by in, out etc) to wind or draw with a reelto reel in a fish

Derived Formsreelable, adjectivereeler, noun

Word Origin for reel

Old English hrēol; related to Old Norse hrǣll weaver's rod, Greek krekein to weave

verb (mainly intr)

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

to whirl about or have the feeling of whirling abouthis brain reeled

noun

a staggering or swaying motion or sensation

Word Origin for reel

C14 relen, probably from reel 1

noun

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

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

Word Origin for reel

C18: from reel ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for reel

reel

n.1

"frame turning on an axis," especially one on which thread is wound, late Old English hreol "reel for winding thread," from Proto-Germanic *hrehulaz; probably related to hrægel "garment," and Old Norse hræll "spindle," from PIE *krek- "to weave, beat" (cf. Greek krokus "nap of cloth").

Specifically of the fishing rod attachment from 1726; of a film projector apparatus from 1896. Reel-to-reel type of tape deck is attested from 1958.

reel

n.2

"lively Highland dance," 1580s, probably a special use of reel (n.1), which had a secondary sense of "a whirl, whirling movement" (1570s) or from reel (v.1). Applied to the music for such a dance from 1590s.

v.1

"to whirl around," late 14c., also "sway, swing, rock, become unsteady" (late 14c.), "stagger as a result of a blow, etc." (c.1400), probably from reel (n.1), on notion of "spinning." Of the mind, from 1796. Related: Reeled; reeling.

v.2

"to wind on a reel," late 14c., from reel (n.1). Verbal phrase reel off "recite without pause or effort" is from 1837. Fishing sense is from 1849. Related: Reeled; reeling.

reel

noun

verb (used with object)

Verb Phrases

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of reel

reel

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Origin of reel

reel

noun

Origin of reel

Examples from the Web for reel

reel

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for reel

verb (mainly intr)

noun

Word Origin for reel

noun

Word Origin for reel

reel

reel