Definitions for: Reel


[n] an American country dance which starts with the couples facing each other in two lines
[n] a lively dance of Scottish highlanders; marked by circular moves and gliding steps
[n] a winder around which thread or tape or film or other flexible materials can be wound
[n] winder consisting of a revolving spool with a handle; attached to a fishing rod
[n] a roll of photographic film holding a series of frames to be projected by a movie projector
[n] music composed for dancing a reel
[v] wind onto or off a reel
[v] move unsteadily or with a weaving or rolling motion
[v] walk as if unable to control one's movements
[v] revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis; "The dervishes whirl around and around without getting dizzy"



Webster (1913) Definition: Reel (r?l), n. [Gael. righil.]
A lively dance of the Highlanders of Scotland; also, the
music to the dance; -- often called Scotch reel.

Virginia reel, the common name throughout the United States
for the old English ``country dance,'' or contradance
(contredanse). --Bartlett.


Reel, n. [AS. kre?l: cf. Icel. kr?ll a weaver's reed or
sley.]
1. A frame with radial arms, or a kind of spool, turning on
an axis, on which yarn, threads, lines, or the like, are
wound; as, a log reel, used by seamen; an angler's reel; a
garden reel.

2. A machine on which yarn is wound and measured into lays
and hanks, -- for cotton or linen it is fifty-four inches
in circuit; for worsted, thirty inches. --McElrath.

3. (Agric.) A device consisting of radial arms with
horizontal stats, connected with a harvesting machine, for
holding the stalks of grain in position to be cut by the
knives.

Reel oven, a baker's oven in which bread pans hang
suspended from the arms of a kind of reel revolving on a
horizontal axis. --Knight.


Reel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reeled (r?ld); p. pr. & vb.
n. Reeling. ]
1. To roll. [Obs.]

And Sisyphus an huge round stone did reel.
--Spenser.

2. To wind upon a reel, as yarn or thread.


Reel, v. i. [Cf. Sw. ragla. See 2d Reel.]
1. To incline, in walking, from one side to the other; to
stagger.

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken
man. --Ps. cvii.
27.

He, with heavy fumes oppressed, Reeled from the
palace, and retired to rest. --Pope.

The wagons reeling under the yellow sheaves.
--Macaulay.

2. To have a whirling sensation; to be giddy.

In these lengthened vigils his brain often reeled.
--Hawthorne.


Reel, n.
The act or motion of reeling or staggering; as, a drunken
reel. --Shak.

Synonyms: bobbin, careen, gyrate, keel, lurch, Scottish reel, spin, spin around, spool, stagger, swag, Virginia reel, waggle, wamble, whirl

See Also: ballroom music, dance music, danceroom music, eightsome, filature, film, fishing gear, fishing pole, fishing rig, fishing rod, fishing tackle, go around, highland fling, longways, longways dance, move, photographic film, reel off, revolve, rig, roll, rotate, shuttle, square dance, square dancing, tackle, twine, unreel, walk, whirligig, wind, winder, wrap

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