n.
Pronunciation: ' r ē l
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hr ē ol; akin to Old Norse hræll weaver's reed, Greek krekein to weave
Date: before 12th century
1 : a revolvable device on which something flexible is wound: as a : a small windlass at the butt of a fishing rod for the line b chiefly British : a spool or bobbin for sewing thread c : a flanged spool for photographic film especially : one for motion pictures
2 : a quantity of something wound on a reel