reel sth in/out
— phrasal verb with reel uk/rɪəl/us/rɪəl/verb [ I ]
to pull in a rope or an object on the end of a rope by turning a wheel round and round, or to release something in the same way:
Slowly the fisherman reeled in his line, bringing the fish ashore.
The firefighters reeled out the hoses from their fire engine.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Pulling
- draft
- drag
- draught
- draw sth up
- haul
- heave
- heave-ho
- heft
- hitch sth up
- pluck
- pluck at sth
- reel
- retract
- suck
- tow
- tow-away
- traction
- tweak
- twitch
- wrench
See more results »