1. [n]  a rocky region in the southern Transvaal in northeastern South Africa; contains rich gold deposits and coal and manganese
2. [n]  a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
3. [v]  reduce (a sail) by taking in a reef
4. [v]  roll up (a portion of a sail) in order to reduce its area
5. [v]  lower and bring partially inboard, as of a mast on a sailboat

Reef
Reef is the story of Triton, a houseboy to Mr. Salgado, a marine biologist in Sri Lanka. Triton begins the job at age 11 and gradually becomes a good cook and organizer of the house. He dedicates his life to Mr. Salgado. Sri Lanka` s civil strife forms the backdrop for the novel.

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1. \Reef\ (r?f), n. [Akin to D. rif, G. riff, Icel. rif, Dan.
   rev; cf. Icel. rifa rift, rent, fissure, rifa to rive, bear.
   Cf. {Rift}, {Rive}.]
   1. A chain or range of rocks lying at or near the surface of
      the water. See {Coral reefs}, under {Coral}.
   2. (Mining.) A large vein of auriferous quartz; -- so called
      in Australia. Hence, any body of rock yielding valuable
      ore.
   {Reef builder} (Zo["o]l.), any stony coral which contributes
      material to the formation of coral reefs.
   {Reef heron} (Zo["o]l.), any heron of the genus {Demigretta};
      as, the blue reef heron ({D. jugularis}) of Australia.
   

2. \Reef\, n. [Akin to D. reef, G. reff, Sw. ref; cf. Icel.
   rif reef, rifa to basten together. Cf. {Reeve}, v. t.,
   {River}.] (Naut.)
   That part of a sail which is taken in or let out by means of
   the reef points, in order to adapt the size of the sail to
   the force of the wind.
   Note: From the head to the first reef-band, in square sails,
         is termed the first reef; from this to the next is the
         second reef; and so on. In fore-and-aft sails, which
         reef on the foot, the first reef is the lowest part.
         --Totten.
   {Close reef}, the last reef that can be put in.
   {Reef band}. See {Reef-band} in the Vocabulary.
   {Reef knot}, the knot which is used in tying reef pointss.
      See Illust. under {Knot}.
   {Reef line}, a small rope formerly used to reef the courses
      by being passed spirally round the yard and through the
      holes of the reef. --Totten.
   {Reef points}, pieces of small rope passing through the
      eyelet holes of a reef-band, and used reefing the sail.
   {Reef tackle}, a tackle by which the reef cringles, or rings,
      of a sail are hauled up to the yard for reefing. --Totten.
   {To take a reef in}, to reduce the size of (a sail) by
      folding or rolling up a reef, and lashing it to the spar.
   

3. \Reef\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Reefed} (r[=e]ft); p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Reefing}.] (Naut.)
   To reduce the extent of (as a sail) by roiling or folding a
   certain portion of it and making it fast to the yard or spar.
   --Totten.
   {To reef the paddles}, to move the floats of a paddle wheel
      toward its center so that they will not dip so deeply.
   

1. In general, any solid object that projects from a stream bed or from the floor of any other body of water.
2. Specifically, a porous, often delicate mass of calcium carbonate and some silica made up of the skeletons of marine corals and sponges. Coral reefs serve as an important focus for many shallow-water ocean ecosystems.