reef

名词 reef:

1. a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
2. a rocky region in the southern Transvaal in northeastern South Africa; contains rich gold deposits and coal and manganese
   同义词：Witwatersrand, Rand

动词 reef:

1. lower and bring partially inboard
2. roll up (a portion of a sail) in order to reduce its area
3. reduce (a sail) by taking in a reef

1. The ship struck a hidden reef and went dawn with all hands.
   船只撞上暗礁与全体船员一起沉没。
2. Our ship was able to haul up just before it hit the submerged reef.
   我们的船就在要撞上暗礁的时候停住了。
3. The ship was wrecked on a reef.
   这船触礁失事了。

reef

n.Abbr. rf.（名词）缩写 rf.
A strip or ridge of rocks, sand, or coral that rises to or near the surface of a body of water.
礁，暗礁：上升到水面或接近水面的条状或脊状岩石、泥沙或珊瑚
A vein of ore.
矿脉

来源：
Obsolete Dutch rif
已废荷兰语 rif
possibly from Old Norse [ridge]
可能源自 古斯堪的纳维亚语 [脊]

【引伸】
reef.y
adj.（形容词）

---------------另--------------
reef
reef 2

n.（名词）
A portion of a sail rolled and tied down to lessen the area exposed to the wind.
缩帆部：帆的一部分，卷起并落下捆住以减少受风面积
v.tr.（及物动词）
reefed,reef.ing,reefs
To reduce the size of (a sail) by tucking in a part and tying it to or rolling it around a yard.
缩帆：把（帆）收回一部分并系上或在甲板上卷上以减小其面积
To shorten (a topmast or bowsprit) by taking part of it in.
缩桅：通过收回一部分的方法来缩短（中桅或船首斜桁）

来源：
Middle English riff
中古英语 riff
from Old Norse rif [ridge, reef]
源自 古斯堪的纳维亚语 rif [脊，缩帆部]