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¹reed

noun \ˈrēd\

: a tall, thin grass that grows in wet areas

: a thin strip of wood, metal, or plastic inside some musical instruments (such as clarinets and oboes) that makes a sound when you blow over it

: a musical instrument that has a reed

Full Definition of REED

a : any of various tall grasses with slender often prominently jointed stems that grow especially in wet areas

b : a stem of a reed

c : a person or thing too weak to rely on : one easily swayed or overcome

: a growth or mass of reeds; specifically : reeds for thatching

: arrow

: a wind instrument made from the hollow joint of a plant

: an ancient Hebrew unit of length equal to six cubits

a : a thin elastic tongue (as of cane, wood, metal, or plastic) fastened at one end over an air opening in a wind instrument (as a clarinet, organ pipe, or accordion) and set in vibration by an air current

b : a woodwind instrument that produces sound by the vibrating of a reed against the mouthpiece <the reeds of an orchestra>

: a device on a loom resembling a comb and used to space warp yarns evenly

: reeding 1a

— reed·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

See reed defined for English-language learners

See reed defined for kids

Illustration of REED

Origin of REED

Middle English rede, from Old English hrēod; akin to Old High German hriot reed

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to REED

Synonyms: doormat, jellyfish, namby-pamby, pushover, weakling, wimp

Antonyms: stalwart

Rhymes with REED

bead, Bede, bleed, brede, breed, cede, creed, deed, feed, Gide, gleed, greed, heed, keyed, knead, kneed, lead, mead, Mead, Mede, meed, need, plead, read, rede, screed, seed, Snead, speed, steed, swede, treed, tweed, weed

²reed

verb

Definition of REED

transitive verb

: mill 2

First Known Use of REED

1951

Reed

biographical name \ˈrēd\

Definition of REED

John 1887–1920 Am. journalist, poet, & Communist

Reed

biographical name

Definition of REED

Stanley Forman 1884–1980 Am. jurist

Reed

biographical name

Definition of REED

Thomas Brackett 1839–1902 Am. polit.

Reed

biographical name

Definition of REED

Walter 1851–1902 Am. army surgeon

REEDLIKE Defined for Kids

reed

noun \ˈrēd\

Definition of REED for Kids

: a tall slender grass that grows in wet areas

: a stem or a growth or mass of reeds

: a thin flexible piece of cane, plastic, or metal fastened to the mouthpiece of an instrument (as a clarinet) or over an air opening in an instrument (as an accordion) and made to vibrate by an air current