ree
Wild; fierce; outrageous; overexcited; frenzied; delirious; crazy.
Adjective
- Wild; fierce; outrageous; overexcited; frenzied; delirious; crazy.
- "I saw,", says I, "he was a ree-brained divell, but thought nothing of it, as all the British are so when they come abroad." - 1756, Margaret Calderwood, “Mrs Calderwood's Journey”, in The Coltness Collections:...
- Befuddled with liquor; half-drunk; tipsy.
- One of the witnesses speaks of having seen this sober judge "upon the bench, when he appeared to be ree, and as if he had been drunk the night before." - 1839, Joseph Robertson, The Book of Bon-Accord: or, A Guide to...
Origin
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.
Forms
Synonyms
Noun dialectal
- A state of befuddlement; intoxication.
- A state of great excitement or frenzy.
Forms
Noun alt of, alternative
- Alternative form of rei (“Portuguese real”).
Forms
Noun Essex, dialectal
- A small river or stream.
- The church of this pariſh, vulgarly called St. Mary Overy, from its dedication to the virgin Mary, and ſituation over the Ree or river, in reſpect of London, is a ſtately Gothic ſtructure, in the form of a cathedral. -...
Origin
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.
Forms
Noun Scotland, Shetland
- A period of stormy or unsettled weather, especially one occurring somewhat predictably at a particular time of year.
- To my surprise he took our caustic remarks about the climate very calmly, even cheerfully. "Och, man, it's only the Beltane ree," he said with a lively twinkle, enjoying our bewilderment. Evidently, the Shetland weather...
- There were three "Rees" (wild tempests), Buggle Ree, Beltane Ree, and Simmer-mill Ree. - 1974, Jessie Margaret Edmondston Saxby, Shetland Traditional Lore:
- […] rees. There were four rees in the first half of the year – the Bogel ree in March, the Simmermill ree in April, the Beltane ree about the beginning of May, and the Johnsmas ree which brought a short spell of...
Origin
From Old Norse hríð (“storm”), whence also Norwegian Nynorsk ri (“period with harsh weather”).
Forms
Related
Verb dialectal, intransitive
- To become extremely excited; fly into a rage.
- To drive into a state of excitement; fire with enthusiasm.
Forms
Verb UK, dialectal
- To riddle; to sift; to separate or throw off.
- After it is well rubbed and winnowed, you must then Ree it over in a fine Sieve , and if any of the Malt be uncleansed , then rub it again into the Sieve , 'till it be pure , and the rubbings will ariſe on the Top of...
Origin
Compare riddle (“a sieve”).