From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishreedreed /riːd/ noun 1 HBP[countable, uncountable] a type of tall plant like grass that grows in wet places Reeds grew in clumps all along the river bank.2 APM[countable] a thin piece of wood that is attached to a musical instrument such as an oboe or clarinet, and that produces a sound when you blow over it
Examples from the Corpus
reed• Reeds grew all along the river bank.• On the third circuit, I found it, lying dead in a reed bed.• A former pool had silted up and was turning into a miniature reed marsh.• The little island seemed to float before her in the purply twilight, partly masked by a stand of reeds and cattails.• When Coltrane breathed into his instrument his entire life seemed to pass through the reed and mouthpiece into the resounding metal.• About ten members toured the reed bed scheme at Billingham and later had discussions about local environmental improvement programmes.• Other plants sown with the reeds absorb heavy metals and harmful bacteria.• This reed bed is still maintained by working parties of the Sussex Ornithological Society.Origin reed Old English hreod 