reeve

To reeve is to fasten something by threading a rope or rod through a hole.

(verb)

When you fasten a bike to a bike rack by threading a chain around the holes in the spokes of the tire and the railing of the bike rack, this is an example of a reeve.

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See reeve in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

  1. in English history,
    1. the chief officer, under the king, of a town or district
    2. the overseer and chief peasant of a manor
  2. the elected head of a village or town council in certain Canadian provinces

Origin: ME reve, earlier irefe < OE gerefa < ge- + base of *rof, row, number

transitive verb rove or reeved, rove or roven, reeving

  1. to pass (the end of a line) through a block, ring, etc.
  2. to fasten by passing through or around something
  3. to pass a line through (a block, ring, etc.)

Origin: prob. < Du reven, to reef, in sense “use a rope in or as in reefing”

noun

a female ruff (sense )

Origin: ? >

See reeve in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. The elected president of a town council in some parts of Canada.
  2. Any of various minor officers of parishes or other local authorities.
  3. A bailiff or steward of a manor in the later medieval period.
  4. A high officer of local administration appointed by the Anglo-Saxon kings.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English gerēfa

.

transitive verb reeved reeved or rove (rōv), reev·ing, reeves
Nautical
  1. To pass (a rope or rod) through a hole, ring, pulley, or block.
  2. To fasten by passing through or around.
  3. To pass a rope or rod through (a hole, ring, pulley, or block).

Origin:

Origin: Origin unknown

.

noun
The female ruff.

Origin:

Origin: Probably alteration of ruff1

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