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Reel Very Common

Reel has 12 different meanings across 3 categories:

Noun · Verb · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

a roll of photographic film holding a series of frames to be projected by a movie projector

"The old camera contained a worn reel of black-and-white film from the 1920s."

2

music composed for dancing a reel

"The band began playing an upbeat reel to get everyone on the dance floor."

3

winder consisting of a revolving spool with a handle; attached to a fishing rod

"The angler tightened his grip on the reel as he felt the heavy fish pulling against the line."

4

a winder around which thread or tape or film or other flexible materials can be wound

"The camera operator carefully loaded the fresh roll of film onto the reel before starting to shoot the scene."

5

a lively dance of Scottish Highlanders; marked by circular moves and gliding steps

"The dancers performed an energetic reel, spinning in circles while their feet glided across the wooden floor."

6

an American country dance which starts with the couples facing each other in two lines

"The crowd cheered as the fiddle player kicked off a lively reel, and the dancers quickly formed their two opposing lines."

7

A shaky or unsteady gait.

"The boxer stumbled and began to reel after taking a hard punch to the jaw."

Verb
1

walk as if unable to control one's movements

"The drunken man staggered into the room"

2

revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis

"The dervishes whirl around and around without getting dizzy"

3

wind onto or off a reel

"The angler carefully reeled in his line after the fish broke free and swam away."

4

To wind on a reel.

"The fisherman wound in his line and carefully reeled it onto the spool."

Proper Noun
1

A surname​.

"The famous singer Reel performed her new album at the local theater last night."

See Also
reel oven bring spool fishing rod centrepin unsteadily windle wince
Related Terms
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
film dance music winder square dance longways walk revolve wind
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
filature shuttle highland fling eightsome whirligig reel off

Origin

The word "reel" comes from Old English words meaning a rope or cord used for weaving and beating flax into linen. It traveled directly into Middle English before becoming the modern verb we use today.

Rhyming Words
eel heel neel feel deel teel keel peel beel seel veel weel freel speel wheel kneel jheel skeel creel steel
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