reeve Hear it!

reeve¹ Definition

reeve (rēv)

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

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

reeve² Definition

reeve (rēv)

transitive verb rove or reeved, rove or rov′en, reev′·ing

  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.)

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

reeve³ Definition

reeve (rēv)

noun

a female ruff (sense )

Etymology: ? >

reeve Usage Examples

Object

block: Second sheave to allow handling of sampling and testing equipment and for ease of reeving a hoist block for withdrawing casing.

Preposition: through

block: This wire is reeved through a malleable cast-iron block situated at the head of the mast about 12 feet from the truck.

Modifying Another Word

not: For when the butt is set up men need not rove, but except the white be placed men cannot level.

Noun used with modifier

shire: The Normans established the sheriff or shire reeve - their crown officer.