reeve

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈrēv 

1

: a local administrative agent of an Anglo-Saxon king

2

: a medieval English manor officer responsible chiefly for overseeing the discharge of feudal obligations

3

a

: the council president in some Canadian municipalities

b

: a local official charged with enforcement of specific regulations

deer reeve

reeve

2 of 3

verb

rove ˈrōv  or reeved; reeving

transitive verb

1

: to pass (something, such as a rope) through a hole or opening

2

: to fasten by passing through a hole or around something

3

: to pass a rope through

intransitive verb

of a rope : to pass through a block or similar device

reeve

3 of 3

noun (2)

: the female of the ruff (sandpiper)

Examples of reeve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Dave Carlson, the reeve of Emerson-Franklin, said instances of people crossing the border outside the checkpoint have dropped significantly in recent years. —CBS News, 21 Jan. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English reve, from Old English gerēfa, from ge- (associative prefix) + -rēfa (akin to Old English -rōf number, Old High German ruova) — more at co-

Verb

origin unknown

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1610, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

reeve

noun

ˈrēv

: an English manor officer of the Middle Ages