reel

B2 Topic:Verbs of Movement

Also spelled a-reeling

US /riːl/ UK /riːl/ See IPA manual

Freq #10110

Meanings

1

verb
to stagger, sway, or feel unsteady, physically or from shock

He reeled backward when the heavy door struck his shoulder.
2

verb
to wind something onto a reel, or draw it in by turning a reel

She began to reel in the fishing line as the boat approached shore.
3

noun
a revolving cylinder or spool on which thread, cable, film, or fishing line is wound

The projectionist mounted the final reel of film.
4

noun
a lively traditional Scottish or Irish dance, or its music

The musicians ended the set with a fast reel.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to stagger, sway, or feel... stagger sway lurch

2 verb · to wind something onto a... windwind in

3 noun · a revolving cylinder or... spoolbobbin

4 noun · a lively traditional... country dance

Opposites

steady

Word family

Forms reeledreelingreels

Derived forms reelernewsreelreel-to-reelreelable

Related forms wind spoolfishing reeldance

Common collocations

reel off Verb + adverb

Etymology

The spool noun descends from Old English hreol ("reel for winding thread"). The verb's sense "sway or stagger" is recorded by the late 1400s. The name of the lively Highland dance, attested in the 1500s, probably developed from the associated whirling movement or from the verb.

Topics

Verbs of Movement

External links

# reel

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /riːl/
**IPA (UK):** /riːl/
**Frequency rank:** 10110

## Meanings
1. to stagger, sway, or feel unsteady, physically or from shock
2. to wind something onto a reel, or draw it in by turning a reel
3. a revolving cylinder or spool on which thread, cable, film, or fishing line is wound
4. a lively traditional Scottish or Irish dance, or its music

## Examples
- He reeled backward when the heavy door struck his shoulder.
- She began to reel in the fishing line as the boat approached shore.
- The projectionist mounted the final reel of film.
- The musicians ended the set with a fast reel.

## Synonyms
- stagger
- sway
- lurch
- spool
- bobbin

## Antonyms
- steady

## Derived Forms
- reeler
- newsreel
- reel-to-reel
- reelable

## Related Forms
- wind
- spool
- fishing reel
- dance

## Etymology
The spool noun descends from Old English hreol ("reel for winding thread"). The verb's sense "sway or stagger" is recorded by the late 1400s. The name of the lively Highland dance, attested in the 1500s, probably developed from the associated whirling movement or from the verb.

## Topics
- Verbs of Movement

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