from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Reed \Reed\, n. [AS. hre['o]d; akin to D. riet, G. riet, ried,
OHG. kriot, riot.]
1. (Bot.) A name given to many tall and coarse grasses or
grasslike plants, and their slender, often jointed, stems,
such as the various kinds of bamboo, and especially the
common reed of Europe and North America ({Phragmites
communis}).
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2. A musical instrument made of the hollow joint of some
plant; a rustic or pastoral pipe.
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Arcadian pipe, the pastoral reed
Of Hermes. --Milton.
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3. An arrow, as made of a reed. --Prior.
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4. Straw prepared for thatching a roof. [Prov. Eng.]
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5. (Mus.)
(a) A small piece of cane or wood attached to the
mouthpiece of certain instruments, and set in
vibration by the breath. In the clarinet it is a
single fiat reed; in the oboe and bassoon it is
double, forming a compressed tube.
(b) One of the thin pieces of metal, the vibration of
which produce the tones of a melodeon, accordeon,
harmonium, or seraphine; also attached to certain sets
or registers of pipes in an organ.
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6. (Weaving) A frame having parallel flat stripe of metal or
reed, between which the warp threads pass, set in the
swinging lathe or batten of a loom for beating up the
weft; a sley. See {Batten}.
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7. (Mining) A tube containing the train of powder for
igniting the charge in blasting.
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8. (Arch.) Same as {Reeding}.
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{Egyptian reed} (Bot.), the papyrus.
{Free reed} (Mus.), a reed whose edges do not overlap the
wind passage, -- used in the harmonium, concertina, etc.
It is distinguished from the beating or striking reed of
the organ and clarinet.
{Meadow reed grass} (Bot.), the {Glyceria aquatica}, a tall
grass found in wet places.
{Reed babbler}. See {Reedbird}.
{Reed bunting} (Zool.) A European sparrow ({Emberiza
sch[oe]niclus}) which frequents marshy places; -- called
also {reed sparrow}, {ring bunting}.
(b) Reedling.
{Reed canary grass} (Bot.), a tall wild grass ({Phalaris
arundinacea}).
{Reed grass}. (Bot.)
(a) The common reed. See {Reed}, 1.
(b) A plant of the genus {Sparganium}; bur reed. See under
{Bur}.
{Reed organ} (Mus.), an organ in which the wind acts on a set
of free reeds, as the harmonium, melodeon, concertina,
etc.
{Reed pipe} (Mus.), a pipe of an organ furnished with a reed.
{Reed sparrow}. (Zool.) See {Reed bunting}, above.
{Reed stop} (Mus.), a set of pipes in an organ furnished with
reeds.
{Reed warbler}. (Zool.)
(a) A small European warbler ({Acrocephalus streperus});
-- called also {reed wren}.
(b) Any one of several species of Indian and Australian
warblers of the genera {Acrocephalus}, {Calamoherpe},
and {Arundinax}. They are excellent singers.
{Sea-sand reed} (Bot.), a kind of coarse grass ({Ammophila
arundinacea}). See {Beach grass}, under {Beach}.
{Wood reed grass} (Bot.), a tall, elegant grass ({Cinna
arundinacea}), common in moist woods.
[1913 Webster] Reedbird