reed

—reedlike, adj.

/reed/, n.

1. the straight stalk of any of various tall grasses, esp. of the genera Phragmites and Arundo, growing in marshy places.

2. any of the plants themselves.

3. such stalks or plants collectively.

4. anything made from such a stalk or from something similar, as an arrow.

5. Music.

a. a pastoral or rustic musical pipe made from a reed or from the hollow stalk of some other plant.

b. a small, flexible piece of cane or metal that, attached to the mouth of any of various wind instruments, is set into vibration by a stream of air and, in turn, sets into vibration the air column enclosed in the tube of the instrument.

c. See reed instrument.

6. Textiles. the series of parallel strips of wires in a loom that force the weft up to the web and separate the threads of the warp.

7. an ancient unit of length, equal to 6 cubits. Ezek. 40:5.

8. a broken reed, a person or thing too frail or weak to be relied on for support: Under stress he showed himself to be a broken reed.

v.t.

9. to decorate with reed.

10. to thatch with or as if with reed.

11. to make vertical grooves on (the edge of a coin, medal, etc.).

[bef. 900; ME; OE hreod; c. G, D riet]

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I

In botany, any of several species of large aquatic grasses, especially the four species in the genus Phragmites (family Poaceae, or Gramineae).

The common, or water, reed (P. australis) occurs along the margins of lakes, fens, marshes, and streams from the Arctic to the tropics. It is a broad-leaved grass, about 5–15 ft (1.5–5 m) tall, with feathery flower clusters and stiff, smooth stems. Bur reed (genus Sparganium) and reed mace (genus Typha) are plants of other families. Dried reed stems have been used for millennia as thatching and construction material, in basketry, for arrows and pens, and in musical instruments (see reed instruments).

II

(as used in expressions)

reed organ

reed instrument

Reed John

Reed Sir Carol

Reed Thomas Brackett

Reed Walter

Reed Willis

Reeds Plain of

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▪ plant

 in botany, any of several species of large aquatic grasses, especially the four species constituting the genus Phragmites of the grass family (Poaceae). The common, or water, reed (Phragmites australis) occurs along the margins of lakes, fens, marshes, and streams from the Arctic to the tropics. It is a broad-leafed grass, about 1.5 to 5 m (5 to 16.5 feet) tall, with feathery flower clusters and stiff, smooth stems. Other plants of the family Poaceae known as reeds are giant reed (Arundo donax), sea reed (Ammophila arenaria), reed canary grass (Phalaris), and reedgrass, or bluejoint (Calamagrostis). Bur reed (Sparganium) and reed mace (cattail) (Typha) are plants of other families.

      Dried reed stems have been used for millennia as thatching and construction material, in basketry, for arrows and pens, and in musical instruments (see reed instruments). They also are harvested for their cellulose content.

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