Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Reef Knot |
Reef KnotNoun1. A square knot used in a reef line. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Synonym: Reef KnotSynonym: flat knot (n). (additional references) |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
It is called a reef knot because it was used to "reef" or tie up sails. It is called a square knot from its appearance.
A number of knotting guides have voted this knot "the worst knot", and noted that more deaths and injuries have been caused by it than all other knots combined. Its symmetry and initial feel of security have led to it having a wide and undeserved reputation as a secure knot, which it certainly is not, especially if the ropes are of differing sizes or materials, or if the rope is likely to be bumped.
If you pull on an end, the knot will loosen and invert (turning into a lark's head knot), hence its original purpose: it secured the furled-in sails, and is easily undone one-handedly by a sailor who is holding on with the other hand. The weight of the sail would drag the lark's head undone.
If you want to tie something securely, then investigate the bowline or sheet bend.
Structure:
Tying:
To tie a square knot, tie a left-handed overhand knot and then a right-handed overhand knot or vice versa.
Do not tie two knots of the same handedness. That makes a granny.
The "boy scout" instructions for this knot are: right-over-left and under; left-over-right and through. (The square knot is the first knot most Boy Scouts learn and has been adopted as a symbol by the movement.)
See also: Scouting
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Reef knot."
Crosswords: Reef Knot |
| English words defined with "reef knot": flat knot ♦ granny, granny knot, Granny's bend, Granny's knot ♦ square knot. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "reef knot": knotted fishing net. (references) |
| Language | Translations for "reef knot"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | nyjë e sheshtë. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | عقدة شراعية. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | рифов възел (reefer). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | merimiessolmu (square knot). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | n"ud plat. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | weberknoten (becket bend, sheet bend, signal halliard bend, single bend, single sheet bend, swab hitch, weaver's knot). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | קשר שטוח. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | takácscsomó, egyszerû nyolcas csomó. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | nodo piano. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | sniem choorsagh. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | eefray otknay рифовый узел (reef-knot). (various references) podvezni čvor. (various references) nudo de marino. (various references) råbandsknop. (various references) gemici düğümü (running knot, sailor's knot), camadan bağı. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "e-e-f-k-n-o-r-t" | |
-1 letter: oftener. | |
-2 letters: ketone. | |
-3 letters: enter, fetor, forte, front, kerne, krone, noter, often, ofter, rente, tenor, terne, token, toker, toner, treen, troke, trone. | |
-4 letters: erne, feet, fere, fern, fete, font, fore, fork, fort, free, fret, froe, keef, keen, keet, keno, kent, kerf, kern, keto, knee, knot, kore, note, reef, reek, reft, rent, rete, rote, teen, tern, toke, tone, tore, torn, tree, tref, trek. | |
-5 letters: eft, eke, eon, ere, ern, fee, fen, fer, fet, foe, fon, for, fro, kef, ken, kor, nee, net, nor, not, oft, oke, one, ore, ort, ree, ref, ret, roe, rot, tee, ten, toe, ton, tor. | |
| Words containing the letters "e-e-f-k-n-o-r-t" | |
+1 letter: foretoken. | |
+2 letters: foretokens. | |
+3 letters: foretokened. | |
+4 letters: foretokening. | |
+5 letters: blanketflower. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)52 65 65 66 4B 6E 6F 74 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
|
Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01010010 01100101 01100101 01100110 00100000 01001011 01101110 01101111 01110100 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)R e e f   K n o t |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)0052 0065 0065 0066 004B 006E 006F 0074 |
Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)52717172245808186 |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Images: Slideshow | 5. Translations: Modern 6. Anagrams 7. Orthography 8. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
