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Reef
01
a ridge of rock or a line of sand near the surface of a body of water
02
one of several strips across a sail that can be taken in or rolled up to lessen the area of the sail that is exposed to the wind
03
a rocky region in the southern Transvaal in northeastern South Africa; contains rich gold deposits and coal and manganese
to reef
01
roll up (a portion of a sail) in order to reduce its area
02
reduce (a sail) by taking in a reef
03
lower and bring partially inboard
Example
The ship ran into a reef, causing significant damage to its hull.
The sailors had to compass the dangerous reefs, carefully navigating their ship through the intricate channels.
She enjoys scuba diving in offshore reefs to explore marine life.
The captain decided to sink the old ship deliberately, creating an artificial reef.
Some species of oysters are used to create habitats for other marine organisms by forming oyster reefs.
