Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

unreeve

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: un-reeve
IPA

10

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To withdraw or take out, as for example a rope from a block.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"He could not only splice a broken "fall," and repair the sheaves and friction-rollers in a hoisting-block, but whenever the rigging got tangled aloft he could spring up the derrick like a cat and unreeve the rope in an instant."
"But he carried all sail till the rotten main-sheet parted at the boom, and when he came up in the wind to lower the sail the main throat halyard refused to unreeve."

Etymology

From Middle English *unreven (attested only in past participle unrevyn) equivalent to un- + reeve.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: *unreven

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

unreeves (present, singular) unreeving (participle, present) unreeved (participle, past) unreeved (past)

Frequently Paired Words

unreave

Questions

What does unreeve mean?: To withdraw or take out, as for example a rope from a block.
Where does unreeve come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce unreeve

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