adj · name · noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ɹiː/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Befuddled with liquor; half-drunk; tipsy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
name
Meaning 3
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Alternative form of rei (“Portuguese real”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A state of befuddlement; intoxication.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A state of great excitement or frenzy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A small river or stream.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Essex, dialectal, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A period of stormy or unsettled weather, especially one occurring somewhat predictably at a particular time of year.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland, Shetland, especially
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
Initialism of rare earth element.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
To become extremely excited; fly into a rage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
To drive into a state of excitement; fire with enthusiasm.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
To riddle; to sift; to separate or throw off.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, dialectal, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English rei, reh, reoh, from Old English hrēoh (“rough, fierce, wild, angry, disturbed, troubled, stormy, tempestuous”), from Proto-Germanic *hreuhaz (“bad, wild”), from Proto-Indo-European *krewh2- (“raw meat, fresh blood”). Cognate with Scots ree, rae, ray (“ree”), Old Saxon hrē (“evil, bad, angry”), Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐍂𐌰𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (inrauhtjan, “to become angry, rage against”). Related to Old English hrēaw (“raw, uncooked”). More at raw.
* As an English and Scottish surname, variant of Rea, Ray. * As a Norwegian surname, from the name of several farmsteads, from an obsolete Old Norse word meaning "gravelly ridge." * As a Korean surname, variant of Ri, itself a variant of Yi.
Of obscure origin. Perhaps from a rebracketing of ea with Old English þære, i.e. þære ēa becoming the ree. Alternatively, perhaps a variant (like rye, found in the placename Rye) of rith.
From Old Norse hríð (“storm”), whence also Norwegian Nynorsk ri (“period with harsh weather”).