From Middle English reel, reele, from Old English rēol, hrēol, from Proto-West Germanic *hrehul, from Proto-Germanic *hrehulaz, *hrahilaz, from Proto-Indo-European *krek- (“to weave, beat”). Cognate with Icelandic ræl, hræll.
Meanings
A shaky or unsteady gait.
Doubtless the present game of chess was developed through just such fiddling; perhaps someone once thought that the drunken reel of the knight was hostile to the essence of Chess. 2010, Andrew Koppelman, The Gay Rights Question in Contemporary American Law, page 92:
A lively dance originating in Scotland.
So strict is the kirk of Scotland, that one minister was unfrocked for writing a play (in former times); and another was sent about his business for being too fond of whiskey and of dancing the reel of Tullochgorum. 1824, Felix M'Donogh, The Hermit in Edinburgh:
The music of this dance; often called a Scottish (or Scotch) reel.
[…]sample the famed waters from the Scottish mountains like a native born, and last but not least, play a reel on the bagpipes in the big hall that set all the laddies and lassies dancing. 1913, Forest and Stream, volume 80:
The traditional reel Within a Mile of Dublin, for instance, distorts until it reaches something quasi-industrial. 2023 November 13, Patrick Clarke, “‘People’s idea of Irishness is so warped’: John Francis Flynn, the folk singer fighting for Dublin’s spirit”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
A kind of spool, turning on an axis, on which yarn, threads, lines, or the like, are wound.
an angler's reel
A hose reel forms part of a hose trolley or hose cart
a log reel
a garden reel
Nudge the fruit machine reel.
A device consisting of radial arms with horizontal stats, connected with a harvesting machine, for holding the stalks of grain in position to be cut by the knives.
A short compilation of sample film work used as a demonstrative resume in the entertainment industry.
(capitalized, qualifier:social media, sometimes) A chronological collection of pictures or short videos published by a user on an app or website and typically only available for a short period.
Walking outside is like scrolling reels with your body 2026 May 26, epicjoko, Instagram:
From Middle English reel, reele, from Old English rēol, hrēol, from Proto-West Germanic *hrehul, from Proto-Germanic *hrehulaz, *hrahilaz, from Proto-Indo-European *krek- (“to weave, beat”). Cognate with Icelandic ræl, hræll.
Meanings
To wind on a reel.
To spin or revolve repeatedly.
To unwind; to bring or acquire something by spinning or winding something else.
He reeled off some tape from the roll and sealed the package.
To walk shakily or unsteadily; to stagger; move as if drunk or not in control of oneself.
Wheeler reels with fright. He almost falls off the front of the stage. His stomach convulses and he wants to vomit, but a frantic fragment of his brain hasn't panicked yet and tells him, Wait. Nothing's changed. That's what humans have always looked like. Right? What's happening? What's wrong? 2019 April 10, qntm, “CASE HATE RED”, in There Is No Antimemetics Division, →ISBN, page 138:
He, with heavy fumes oppress'd, / Reel'd from the palace, and retired to rest. 1725, Homer, “Book II”, in [William Broome], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:
Sarah reels a little, nevertheless, under the dog's boisterous greeting. 1996, Janette Turner Hospital, Oyster, paperback edition, Virago Press, page 111:
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 107:27:
the wagons reeling under the yellow sheaves 1770, [Oliver] Goldsmith, The Deserted Village, a Poem, London: […] W[illiam] Griffin, […], →OCLC:
It was by his order the shattered leading company flung itself into the houses when the Sin Verguenza were met by an enfilading volley as they reeled into the calle. 1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 30, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC:
(with back) To back off, step away, or sway backwards unsteadily and suddenly.
Terry's fist lashed out, but Simpson, anticipating the blow, stepped quickly to one side. Another followed, however, and caught the older man fairly on the chin, sent him reeling back. 1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XX, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 205:
He reeled back from the punch.
To make or cause to reel.
To have a whirling sensation; to be giddy.
In these lengthened vigils his brain often reeled. 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, →OCLC:
The high school had a send-off in my honour. It was an uncommon thing for a young man of Rajkot to go to England. I had written out a few words of thanks. But I could scarcely stammer them out. I remember how my head reeled and how my whole frame shook as I stood up to read them. 1927-29, M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, translated 1940 by Mahadev Desai, Part I, Chapter xi
(as "be reeling", especially, figuratively) To be in shock.
New Jersey was reeling on Wednesday from the impact of Hurricane Sandy, which has caused catastrophic flooding here in Hoboken and in other New York City suburbs, destroyed entire neighborhoods across the state and wiped out iconic boardwalks in shore towns that had enchanted generations of vacationgoers. 2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, retrieved 31 Oct 2012:
To produce a mechanical insect-like song, as in grass warblers.
(obsolete) To roll.
And Sisyphus an huge round stone did reele. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto V”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 35:
(figuratively) To bring in or along.
Frank stood at the sink, and began washing the plates. He realised if he was going to reel his great-aunt into his plan, he was going to have to do it very gently. 2017, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Bad Dad, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:
de kreisen (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · ru верте́ть (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · pl krążyć (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · es titubear (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · hu megszédít (to make or cause to reel) · bg отскоча ((reel back) to back off or step away unsteadily and quickly) · hu megtántorodik ((reel back) to back off or step away unsteadily and quickly) · fi pyöriä (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · pl zataczać się (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · mi takarangi (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · hu elszédít (to make or cause to reel) · bg развия (to bring or acquire something by spinning or winding something else) · fr embobiner (to wind on a reel) · sv spola (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · fi pyörittää (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · da vakle (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · no skjekle (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · te తూలు (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · ru спотыка́ться (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · fi keriä (to wind on a reel) · hi अटेरना (to wind on a reel) · fi horjuttaa (to make or cause to reel) · hu hátratántorodik ((reel back) to back off or step away unsteadily and quickly) · mi kōripo (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · gl dobar (to wind on a reel) · hy փաթաթել (to wind on a reel) · no vakle (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · ru кружи́ть (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · de drehen (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · de taumeln (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · mi ānewanewa (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · fi kelata (to bring or acquire something by spinning or winding something else) · nl oprollen (to wind on a reel) · es bobinar (to wind on a reel) · hu dülöngél (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · pl nawijać (to wind on a reel) · bg смущавам се (to be in shock) · de aufrollen (to wind on a reel) · bg отскачам ((reel back) to back off or step away unsteadily and quickly) · da spole (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · la titubō (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · pl chwiać się (na nogach) (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · bg намотавам (to wind on a reel) · mi kōkeke (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · mi ānewa (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · hu elképed (to be in shock) · da rulle (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · gl debanar (to wind on a reel) · mi keha (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · bg навивам (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · ru идти́ шата́ясь (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · pl motać (to wind on a reel) · es enrollar (to wind on a reel) · pl nawinąć (to wind on a reel) · es embobinar (to wind on a reel) · es devanar (to wind on a reel) · es estar medio traumado (to be in shock) · hu megszédül ((reel back) to back off or step away unsteadily and quickly) · bg развивам (to bring or acquire something by spinning or winding something else) · ru намота́ть (to wind on a reel) · cs vrávorat (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · hu teker (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · fi kelata (to wind on a reel) · pt enrolar (to wind on a reel) · pl namotać (to wind on a reel) · no stolpre (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · it barcollare (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · ru нама́тывать (to wind on a reel) · pl wirować (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · es continuar estupefacto (to be in shock) · da vinde (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · da rulle (to bring or acquire something by spinning or winding something else) · bg шокирам се (to be in shock) · da slingre (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · hu támolyog (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · da vakle ((reel back) to back off or step away unsteadily and quickly) · pt titubear (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · fi kelata auki (to bring or acquire something by spinning or winding something else) · fi horjahtaa ((reel back) to back off or step away unsteadily and quickly) · mi takatakai (to wind on a reel) · sv rulla (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · hi लपेटना (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · hu gombolyít (to wind on a reel) · hu leteker (to bring or acquire something by spinning or winding something else) · hu tántorog (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · ru верте́ться (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · pl kręcić się (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · da rave (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · bg залитам (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · hu inog (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · fi horjua (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · fr enrouler (to wind on a reel) · hu tekercsel (to wind on a reel) · hu meginog ((reel back) to back off or step away unsteadily and quickly) · sv vackla (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · fi rullata (to wind on a reel) · ru кружи́ться (to spin or revolve repeatedly) · fr tituber (to walk shakily or unsteadily) · bg размотавам (to bring or acquire something by spinning or winding something else) · es enmadejar (to wind on a reel) · gl ensarillar (to wind on a reel) · fi pyörittää (to make or cause to reel) · bg размотая (to bring or acquire something by spinning or winding something else) · ru шата́ться (to walk shakily or unsteadily)