reef knot

noun

: a square knot used in reefing a sail

Examples of reef knot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The logo for the G20 summit hosted in Hamburg was a reef knot—a fastening the purpose of which is to pull together a loose bundle, and which gets tighter the more its loose ends are pulled. The Economist, 9 Sep. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reef knot was in 1794

Dictionary Entries Near reef knot

Cite this Entry

“Reef knot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reef%20knot. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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