See also: Reeve

English

edit

Pronunciation

edit

Etymology 1

edit

From Middle English reve, from Old English rēfa, an aphetism of ġerēfa (also groefa), from Proto-West Germanic *garāfijō (officer, official). Compare Danish greve, Swedish greve, Dutch graaf, German Graf.

The role, and eventually the word, was mostly replaced by bailiff, of Anglo-Norman origin.

Alternative forms

edit

Noun

edit

reeve (plural reeves)

  1. (historical) Any of several local officials, with varying responsibilities.
    • 1999, Bede, edited by Judith McClure and Roger Collins, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People[1], Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 99:
      His first convert was the reeve of the city of Lincoln called Blæcca, ...
  2. (Canada) The president of a township or municipal district council.
  3. (military, historical) The holder of a proposed but unadopted commissioned rank of the Royal Air Force, equivalent to wing commander.
    • 1936, The Periodical, volumes 21-22, Oxford University Press, page 67:
      A list of new titles was manufactured as follows: Ensign, Lieutenant, Flight-Leader, Squadron-Leader, Reeve, Banneret, Fourth-Ardian, Third-Ardian, Second-Ardian, Ardian, Air Marshal. [] Reeve”, perhaps, savoured a little too much of legal authority.
Synonyms
edit
Derived terms
edit
edit
Translations
edit

See also

edit

Etymology 2

edit

Apparent alternative form of reef (to pull or yank strongly, verb) or from Dutch reven (to take in, insert).

Verb

edit

reeve (third-person singular simple present reeves, present participle reeving, simple past and past participle reeved or rove)

  1. (nautical, dialect) To pass (a rope) through a hole or opening, especially so as to fasten it.
    • 1930, William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying, Library of America, published 1985, page 98:
      "Let the rope go," he says. With his other hand he reaches down and reeves the two turns from the stanchion.

Etymology 3

edit

Variant of dialectal ree, but of obscure ultimate origin.

Noun

edit

reeve (plural reeves)

  1. A female of the species Philomachus pugnax, a highly gregarious, medium-sized wading bird of Eurasia; the male is a ruff.

Anagrams

edit

Middle English

edit

Etymology 1

edit

Noun

edit

reeve

  1. Alternative form of reve

Etymology 2

edit

Verb

edit

reeve

  1. Alternative form of reven