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re·duce verb re·duced; re·duc·ing 1 : to diminish in size, amount, extent, or number : LESSEN

2 : to bring to a specified state or condition

3 : to put in a lower rank or grade

4 : CONQUER <~ a fort>

5 : to bring into a certain order or classification

6 : to correct (as a fracture) by restoration of displaced parts

7 : to lessen one's weight

— re·duc·er noun

— re·duc·ible adjective

Synonyms

[1] abate, de-escalate, decrease, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower

[3] break, bust, degrade, demote, downgrade—more at DEMOTE

re·duc·tion noun 1 : the act of reducing : the state of being reduced

2 : something made by reducing

3 : the amount taken off in reducing something

Synonyms

[1, 3] abatement, decline, decrease, decrement, diminution, drop, fall, loss, shrinkage—more at DECREASE

[3] abatement, deduction, discount—more at DEDUCTION

re·dun·dan·cy noun, plural -cies 1 : the quality or state of being redundant : SUPERFLUITY

2 : something redundant or in excess

3 : the use of surplus words

Synonyms

circumlocution, prolixity, verbiage, wordiness—more at VERBIAGE

re·dun·dant adjective : exceeding what is needed or normal : SUPERFLUOUS; especially : using more words than necessary

— re·dun·dant·ly adverb

red–winged blackbird noun : a No. American blackbird of which the adult male is black with a patch of bright scarlet on the wings

red·wood noun : a tall coniferous timber tree esp. of coastal California; also : its durable wood

re·echo verb : to continue to resound with echoes

Synonyms

echo, resonate, resound, reverberate, sound—more at REVERBERATE

reed noun 1 : any of various tall slender grasses of wet areas; also : a stem or growth of reed

2 : a musical instrument made from the hollow stem of a reed

3 : an elastic tongue of cane, wood, or metal by which tones are produced in organ pipes and certain other wind instruments

— reedy adjective

re·ed·u·cate verb : to train again; especially : to rehabilitate through education

— re·ed·u·ca·tion noun

1reef noun 1 : a part of a sail taken in or let out in regulating the sail's size

2 : reduction in sail area by reefing

2reef verb : to reduce the area of a sail by rolling or folding part of it

3reef noun : a ridge of rocks, sand or coral at or near the surface of the water

reef·er noun : a marijuana cigarette

1reek noun 1 : a strong or disagreeable fume or odor

2 : a murky condition of the atmosphere or a substance causing it

2reek verb 1 : to give off or become permeated with a strong or offensive odor

2 : to give a strong impression of some constituent quality

— reek·er noun

reeky adjective : emitting or permeated with a reek

Synonyms

fetid, foul, fusty, malodorous, musty, noisome, rank, smelly, strong—more at MALODOROUS

1reel noun : a revolvable device on which something flexible (as film or tape) is wound; also : a quantity of something wound on such a device

2reel verb 1 : to wind on or as if on a reel

2 : to pull or draw (as a fish) by reeling a line

— reel·able adjective

— reel·er noun

3reel verb 1 : to be in a whirl : WHIRL; also : to be giddy

2 : to waver or fall back (as from a blow)

3 : to walk or move unsteadily

Synonyms

[1] spin, swim, whirl

[3] careen, dodder, lurch, stagger, teeter, totter—more at STAGGER

4reel noun : a reeling motion

Synonyms

gyration, pirouette, revolution, roll, rotation, spin, twirl, wheel, whirl—more at SPIN

5reel noun : a lively Scottish dance or its music

reel off verb : to tell or recite rapidly and easily

re·en·try noun 1 : a second or new entry

2 : the action of reentering the earth's atmosphere from space

re·eval·u·ate verb : to determine again the significance, worth, or condition of usu. by careful appraisal and study

reeve verb rove or reeved; reev·ing : to pass (as a rope) through a hole in a block or cleat

re·ex·am·i·na·tion noun : a second or new examination

Synonyms