Definition of 'reel'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense reels, present participle reeling, past tense, past participle reeled
1. countable noun
A reel is a cylindrical object around which you wrap something such as movie film, magnetic tape, or fishing line.
2. intransitive verb
If someone reels, they move about in an unsteady way as if they are going to fall.
3. intransitive verb [usu cont]
If you are reeling from a shock, you are feeling extremely surprised or upset because of it.
4. intransitive verb
Phrasal verbs:
See reel off
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
reel in American English 1
verb intransitive
1.
to give way or fall back; sway, waver, or stagger as from being struck
2.
to lurch or stagger about, as from drunkenness or dizziness
3.
to go around and around; whirl
verb transitive
5.
to cause to reel
noun
6.
a reeling motion; whirl, stagger, etc.
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
reel in American English 2
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
prob. < reel1Word Frequency
reel in American English 3
noun
1.
a frame or spool on which thread, wire, tape, film, a net, etc. is wound
2.
such a frame set on the handle of a fishing rod, to wind up or let out the line
3.
the quantity of wire, thread, film, tape, etc. usually wound on one reel
verb transitive, verb intransitive
5.
to wind on a reel
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME < OE hreol < Gmc *hrehulaz < IE base *krek-, to strike, make a weaving motion > Gr krekein, to weave, Latvian krekls, shirt
Word Frequency
reel in American English 1
(ril)
noun
1.
a cylinder, frame, or other device that turns on an axis and is used to wind up or pay out something
3. Photography
a.
a spool on which film, esp. motion-picture film, is wound
b.
a roll of motion-picture film
4.
a quantity of something wound on a reel
6. See off the reel
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
reelable adjective
Word origin
[bef. 1050; (n.) ME rele, OE hrēol; c. ON hræll weaver's rod; (v.) ME relen, deriv. of rele]Word Frequency
reel in American English 2
(ril)
intransitive verb
1.
to sway or rock under a blow, shock, etc
The boxer reeled and fell
2.
to waver or fall back
The troops reeled and then ran
3.
to sway about in standing or walking, as from dizziness, intoxication, etc.; stagger
4.
to turn round and round; whirl
5.
to have a sensation of whirling
His brain reeled
transitive verb
6.
to cause to reel
noun
SYNONYMS 3. See stagger.7.
an act of reeling; a reeling or staggering movement
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1300–50; ME relen, appar. deriv. of rele reel1]Word Frequency
reel in American English 3
(ril)
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1575–85; special use of reel2]Word Frequency
reel in British English 1
noun
1.
any of various cylindrical objects or frames that turn on an axis and onto which film, magnetic tape, paper tape, wire, thread, etc, may be wound
US equivalent: spool2. angling
3.
a roll of celluloid exhibiting a sequence of photographs to be projected
verb (transitive)
4.
to wind (cotton, thread, etc) onto a reel
5. (foll by in, out etc)
to wind or draw with a reel
to reel in a fish
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
reelable (ˈreelable) adjective
reeler (ˈreeler)
noun
Word origin
Old English hrēol; related to Old Norse hrǣll weaver's rod, Greek krekein to weave
Word Frequency
reel in British English 2
verb (mainly intr)
noun
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C14 relen, probably from reel1Word Frequency
reel in British English 3
noun
1.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C18: from reel2Examples of 'reel' in a sentence
reel
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Word lists with
reel
Types of compositionQuick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
Which type of musical composition am I?
music written for or in the rhythm of this dance
Which type of musical composition am I?
a piece of music for or in the rhythm of this dance
Which type of musical composition am I?
a type of opera current in 18th-century Italy based on a serious plot, esp a mythological tale
Which type of musical composition am I?
a piece of music for such a dance, alternating between simple duple and compound duple time
Which type of musical composition am I?
a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance
Your score:
Trends of
reel
View usage over:
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In other languages
reel
British English: reel
/rɪəl; riːl/ NOUN
A reel is a cylinder-shaped object around which you wrap something such as thread or cinema film.
...a 30-metre reel of cable.
- American English: reel /ˈril/
- Arabic: بَكَرَة
- Brazilian Portuguese: carretel
- Chinese: 卷轴
- Croatian: svitak
- Czech: cívka
- Danish: rulle
- Dutch: haspel
- European Spanish: carrete
- Finnish: kela
- French: moulinet
- German: Spule
- Greek: καρούλι
- Italian: bobina
- Japanese: リール
- Korean: 릴
- Norwegian: spole
- Polish: szpulka
- European Portuguese: carreto
- Romanian: rolă
- Russian: катушка
- Spanish: carrete
- Swedish: vinda
- Thai: ม้วน
- Turkish: makara
- Ukrainian: котушка
- Vietnamese: ống
British English: reel
VERB /ˈriːəl/
If someone reels, they move about in an unsteady way as if they are going to fall.
He was reeling a little. He must be very dizzy.
- American English: reel /ˈril/
- Brazilian Portuguese: cambalear
- Chinese: 踉跄
- European Spanish: tambalearse
- French: chanceler
- German: taumeln
- Italian: barcollare
- Japanese: よろめく
- Korean: 비틀거리다
- European Portuguese: cambalear
- Spanish: tambalearse
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reel
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Definition of reel from the Collins English Dictionary
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