reed
reed (rēd)
noun
- any of various tall, slender grasses (esp. genus Phragmites), with plumelike inflorescences, growing in wet or marshy land
- the stem of any of these grasses
- such plants or stems collectively, specif. as material for thatching, basketwork, etc.
- a rustic musical instrument made from a hollow stem or stalk and played by blowing through it
- an ancient Hebrew unit of linear measure equal to 6 cubits: Ezek. 40:3
- a device on a loom, by means of which threads are drawn between the separated threads of the warp
- Old Poet. an arrow
- Archit. a small, rounded molding; reeding
- Music
- a thin strip of some flexible substance, as cane, placed against the opening of the mouthpiece of certain wind instruments, as the clarinet, so as to leave a narrow opening: when vibrated by the breath, it produces a musical tone
- an instrument with a reed or reeds
- in some organs, a similar device that vibrates in a current of air
- the reed instruments of an orchestra, band, etc. or the players of these instruments
Etymology: ME rede < OE hreod, akin to OHG hriot < IE base *kreut-, to shake, tremble
adjective
- designating an instrument whose sound is produced by a vibrating reed or reeds, specif., the oboe, clarinet, saxophone, English horn, or bassoon
- composed of or for such an instrument or instruments a reed section
transitive verb
to thatch or decorate with reeds
Reed (rēd)
Reed, John 1887-1920; U.S. journalist & radical
Reed, Walter 1851-1902; U.S. army surgeon & bacteriologist
Converse of object
- bruise: Precious picture of Him who would not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.
- comb: This combined with better transport facilities opened the door for the almost universal use of either combed wheat reed or water reed.
- pedal: I remember that the 32ft pedal reed often resembled machine gun fire, which I think was due to the dryness of the accoustic.
Adjective modifier
- 16ft.: The top manual was a small solo with a 16ft. orchestral reed.
- 8ft.: Occasionally, for some obscure reason, two open diapasons were included, while the second 8ft. chorus reed is seldom found.
- pedal: However, I always add registration at bar 18, taking things back to the pleno with pedal reed heard at the start.
- orchestral: The top manual was a small solo with a 16ft. orchestral reed.
- broken: If the Social Chapter is a broken reed, the Single Currency is not.
Modifies a noun
- bunting: All year round near the big pond look out for reed buntings.
- warbler: The resident Cetti's warbler has been singing, and soon the migrant reed warblers and sedge warblers will have arrived.
- canary: Fens around lough margins may have common reed or reed canary grass.
- bed: Late in 1999 a new reed bed was created further north of the hide.
- canary-grass: Where grazing has been limited the number of species is higher, with reed canary-grass and stone bramble.
- mace: This month help to remove invasive reed mace from the pond in Haughton Dale Local Nature reserve.
Noun used with modifier
- chanter: I used a Duncan Watson chanter reed at Oban.
- papyrus: A gloaming rush among papyrus reeds, Where Serapis goes to drink with the Sphinx.
- bassoon: An important element in making historical bassoon reeds is the cane that one uses to construct the reed.
- chorus: The presence of a chorus reed makes this organ suited to a role in leading singing in a church.
- drone: The drone reeds are usually like the ones in clarinets - single reeds.
- wheat: We have no wheat reed for sale at present. return to top.
And night this toppling reed, still as the dead The great pike lies, the murderous patriarch, Watching the water-pit shelving and dark Where through the plash his lithe bright vassals tread.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
I pursued a maiden and clasped a reed: Gods and men, we are all deluded thus! It breaks in our bosom and then we bleed.
L'homme n'est qu'un roseau, le plus faible de la nature; mais c'est un roseau pensant. Man is only a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed.
And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
Lo, thou trusted in thestaff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
Browse dictionary entries near reed
- reechy
- reecho
- Redwood City
- redwood
- redwing
- redware
- redux
- reduviid
- reduplication
- reduplicate
- reed mace
- reed organ
- reed pipe
- Reed-Solomon
- reed stop
- reedbird
- reedbuck
- reeding
- reedman
- reeducate
