reed Hear it!

reed Definition

reed (rēd)

noun

    1. any of various tall, slender grasses (esp. genus Phragmites), with plumelike inflorescences, growing in wet or marshy land
    2. the stem of any of these grasses
    3. such plants or stems collectively, specif. as material for thatching, basketwork, etc.
  2. a rustic musical instrument made from a hollow stem or stalk and played by blowing through it
  3. an ancient Hebrew unit of linear measure equal to 6 cubits: Ezek. 40:3
  4. a device on a loom, by means of which threads are drawn between the separated threads of the warp
  5. Old Poet. an arrow
  6. Archit. a small, rounded molding; reeding
  7. Music
    1. 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
    2. an instrument with a reed or reeds
    3. in some organs, a similar device that vibrates in a current of air
    4. 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

  1. designating an instrument whose sound is produced by a vibrating reed or reeds, specif., the oboe, clarinet, saxophone, English horn, or bassoon
  2. composed of or for such an instrument or instruments a reed section

transitive verb

to thatch or decorate with reeds

Reed Definition

Reed (rēd)

  1. Reed, John 1887-1920; U.S. journalist & radical

  2. Reed, Walter 1851-1902; U.S. army surgeon & bacteriologist

reed Synonyms

reed

n.

cane, stalk, grass; see grass 1, plant, weed 1.

reed Usage Examples

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.
reed Quotes

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.

—Blunden, Edmund Charles

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

—Bible (NewTestament)

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

—Bible (Old Testament)

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.

—Shelley, Percy Bysshe

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.

—Pascal, Blaise

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.

—Bible (NewTestament)

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.

—Bible (Old Testament)

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.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Browse dictionary entries near reed

  1. ‹ reechy
  2. ‹ reecho
  3. ‹ Redwood City
  4. ‹ redwood
  5. ‹ redwing
  6. ‹ redware
  7. ‹ redux
  8. ‹ reduviid
  9. ‹ reduplication
  10. ‹ reduplicate
  1. reed mace ›
  2. reed organ ›
  3. reed pipe ›
  4. Reed-Solomon ›
  5. reed stop ›
  6. reedbird ›
  7. reedbuck ›
  8. reeding ›
  9. reedman ›
  10. reeducate ›