reeve
1 Americannoun
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an administrative officer of a town or district.
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British. an overseer or superintendent of workers, tenants, or an estate.
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British. (formerly) a person of high rank representing the crown.
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Canadian. the presiding officer of a village or town council.
verb (used with object)
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reeves,
present (3rd person singular)
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reeved,
past participle, past
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rove,
past
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roven,
past participle
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reeving
present participle
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to pass (a rope or the like) through a hole, ring, or the like.
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to fasten by placing through or around something.
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to pass a rope through (the swallow of a block).
noun
noun
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English history the local representative of the king in a shire (under the ealdorman) until the early 11th century Compare sheriff
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(in medieval England) a manorial steward who supervised the daily affairs of the manor: often a villein elected by his fellows
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canadian government (in certain provinces) a president of a local council, esp in a rural area
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(formerly) a minor local official in any of several parts of England and the US
verb
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to pass (a rope or cable) through an eye or other narrow opening
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to fasten by passing through or around something
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
reevesimple
-
reevessimple
-
have reevedperfect
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have rovenperfect
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has reevedperfect
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has rovenperfect
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am reevingprogressive
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are reevingprogressive
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is reevingprogressive
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have been reevingperfect progressive
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has been reevingperfect progressive
Past
-
reevedsimple
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rovesimple
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had reevedperfect
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had rovenperfect
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was reevingprogressive
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were reevingprogressive
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had been reevingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of reeve1
First recorded before 900; Middle English (i)reve, refe, reive “royal administrative or judicial officer,” Old English gerēfa “high royal offiicial, fiscal officer, prefect”; further origin uncertain; cf. sheriff
Origin of reeve2
First recorded in 1600–10; of uncertain origin; perhaps from Dutch reven “to reef”; see reef 2
Origin of reeve3
First recorded in 1625–35; origin uncertain
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Dave Carlson, the reeve of Emerson-Franklin, said instances of people crossing the border outside the checkpoint have dropped significantly in recent years.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 20, 2022
Other states followed suit, and as Judge Vanderbilt says, the "judges campaigned for judicial office in the hustings with the other candidates of the political parties from sheriff to hog reeve."
From Time Magazine Archive
I could fed him standing there watching me as I tried to reeve the lengths, but I knew they weren’t fitting together.
From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor
I was just about to emerge from the woods and run toward our hut when I caught sight of the bailiff, Roger Kinsworthy, and the reeve, Odo Langland.
From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi
The reeve acts as the representative of the village community, as well in regard to the lord as on public occasions.
From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Paul Vinogradoff
Generations ago, towns appointed hog reeves — people who caught livestock that ran away — each year at a town meeting.
From New York Times ● Feb. 1, 2010
In Cornish, for fun, newly married couples are appointed honorary hog reeves each year.
From New York Times ● Feb. 1, 2010
Our jury is derived from an Anglo-Saxon custom; our nobility and officials are representatives of Anglo-Saxon earls and reeves.
From Early Britain Anglo-Saxon Britain by Grant Allen
In polar voyaging, following up serpentine channels in the ice, till the vessel reaches open water, or reeves the pack.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Sir Edward Belcher
“Look here, Dick, at the decoys,” cried Tom running to a large wicker cage in which were four of the curious long-legged birds known as ruffs and reeves.
From Dick o' the Fens A Tale of the Great East Swamp by George Manville Fenn
Thirty-one inches above the headpiece is a pulley reeved with a rope with handles on one end, ankle straps on the other.
From Time Magazine Archive
Preventer braces were reeved and hauled taut, tackles got upon the backstays, and everything done to keep all snug and strong.
From Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana
He lay upon the floor of Hooven's house, bare to the waist, bandages of adhesive tape reeved about his abdomen and shoulder.
From The Octopus : A story of California by Frank Norris
He had reeved anew nearly all the running rigging of the ship, getting rid of useless blocks, putting single blocks for double wherever he could, using pendent blocks, and adjusting the purchases scientifically.
From Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana
The tame ones then returned to land, and he swam after the boat to the ship, where tackle was reeved to the sail-cloth, and he was hoisted on board.
From Sketches of the Natural History of Ceylon by Sir James Emerson Tennent
Its species name honors Dr. Harald Schillhammer of the Natural History Museum Vienna for his extensive and outstanding contributions to rove beetle research.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
Parker, speaking from his office, which is decorated in white decals of rove beetles — which his lab exclusively focuses on — said it pays to explore “obscure branches of the tree of life.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2026
One version of Bolt-ee is mounted on wheels and semi-autonomous, so that it can rove around to reach a vehicle that needs a quick hit of power.
From BBC ● Jan. 8, 2024
In response, Metro says it transferred pairs of security guards from elsewhere to rove the H Line, which connects downtown to Burien, “for the foreseeable future,” spokesperson Al Sanders said.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2023
She turns, and her blue eyes rove over Scoob’s face in a way they never have before.
From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone
The reeving of yard-ropes was his idea, though he disclaimed it.
From The Press-Gang Afloat and Ashore by J. R. (John Robert) Hutchinson
It generally means the extremity of the yard, and it is fitted with sheave-holes for reeving sheets through.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Sir Edward Belcher
Now this reeving of the halyards of a main-top-gallant-stun'-sail is a business that eminently demands sharpsightedness, skill, and celerity.
From White Jacket or, the World on a Man-of-War by Herman Melville
The order was obeyed, and all the day was spent in plugging shot-holes, and in bending new sails or mending rent ones, and in reeving fresh running rigging.
From True Blue by William Henry Giles Kingston
The next day we were employed in preparation for sea, reeving studding-sail gear, crossing royal yards, putting on chafing gear, and taking on board our powder.
From Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana
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