Webster's English Dictionary

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reed

reed \'re-d\ n [ME rede, fr. OE hre-od; akin to OHG hriot reed, Lith 
   k]rute.ti to stir 1a: any of various tall grasses with slender often 
   prominently jointed stem s that grow esp. in wet areas 1b: a stem of such a 
   grass  1c: one too weak to rely on  2: a growth or mass of reeds; specif : 
   reeds for thatching  3: ARROW  4: a musical instrument made of the hollow 
   joint of a plant  5: an ancient Hebrew unit of length equal to 6 cubits  
   6a: a thin elastic tongue of cane, wood, or metal fastened at one end to th 
   e mouthpiece of a musical instrument (as a clarinet or organ pipe) or to a 
   reed block or other fixture over an air opening (as in an accordion) and 
   set in vibration by the breath or other air current 6b: a reed instrument 
   {the ~s of an orchestra}  7: a device on a loom resembling a comb and used 
   to space warp yarns evenly  8: REEDING