reel
1 of 5noun (1)
ˈrēl 
1
: a revolvable device on which something flexible is wound: such as
a
: a small windlass at the butt of a fishing rod for the line
b
chiefly British : a spool or bobbin for sewing thread
c
: a flanged spool for photographic film
especially : one for motion pictures
2
: a quantity of something wound on a reel
reel
2 of 5verb (1)
reeled; reeling; reels
transitive verb
1
: to wind on or as if on a reel
2
: to draw by reeling a line
reel a fish in
intransitive verb
: to turn a reel
reelable
ˈrē-lə-bəl
adjective reel
3 of 5verb (2)
reeled; reeling; reels
intransitive verb
1
a
: to turn or move round and round
b
: to be in a whirl
2
: to behave in a violent disorderly manner
3
: to waver or fall back (as from a blow)
4
: to walk or move unsteadily
transitive verb
: to cause to reel
reel
4 of 5noun (2)
: a reeling motion
reel
5 of 5noun (3)
1
: a lively Scottish-Highland dance
also : the music for this dance
2
: virginia reel
Synonyms
Verb (2)
- spin
- swim
- turn
- whirl
Noun (2)
- gyration
- pirouette
- revolution
- roll
- rotation
- spin
- twirl
- wheel
- whirl
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English hrēol; akin to Old Norse hræll weaver's reed, Greek krekein to weave
Verb (2)
Middle English relen, probably from reel, noun
Noun (3)
probably from reel entry 4
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Verb (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun (2)
1572, in the meaning defined above
Noun (3)
circa 1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing reel
Kids Definition
reel 1 of 4
noun
ˈrēl
1
: a device that can be turned round and round to wind up something flexible
a fishing rod and reel
2
: a quantity of something wound on a reel
a reel of film
reel
2 of 4verb
reeled; reeling
1
: to wind on a reel
2
: to pull by the use of a reel
I reeled in a fish.
reel
3 of 4verb
reeled; reeling
1
: to whirl or spin around
2
: to be in a confused or dizzy state
Our heads were reeling with excitement.
3
: to fall back suddenly (as after being hit)
4
: to walk or move unsteadily : stagger
reel
4 of 4noun
: a lively folk dance
reels 1 of 2
noun
as in wheels
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point she slipped and, after an out-of-control reel, fell on her backside Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- wheels
- spins
- rotations
- rolls
- twirls
- curves
- revolutions
- curls
- twists
- coils
- gyrations
- spirals
- pirouettes
- circles
- whirls
- circuits
- rounds
- rings
- whorls
- orbits
- circulations
- eddies
- swirls
reels
2 of 2verb
1
as in spins
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around his mind reeled upon hearing the news that his employer had been indicted for fraud Synonyms & Similar Words
- spins
- swims
- whirls
- turns
- swirls
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- collects
- calms
- settles
- steadies
2
as in lurches
to move forward while swaying from side to side got off the amusement park ride reeling and barely able to stand Synonyms & Similar Words
- lurches
- staggers
- rolls
- weaves
- shuffles
- stomps
- totters
- stumbles
- rocks
- dodders
- teeters
- waddles
- careens
- seesaws
- flounders
- sways
- wobbles
- barges
- wavers
- stamps
- blunders
- pounds
- swags
- shambles
- clomps
- clumps
- wabbles
- tramps
- scuffs
- lumps
- scuffles
- lumbers
- galumphs
- tromps