An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Reff

by Friedrich Kluge

Reff (1.), neuter, ‘dosser, framework of staves for carrying on the back,’ from the equivalent Middle High German rëf, neuter, Old High German rëf, neuter, for earlier Gothic *hrip; compare Old Icelandic hrip, neuter, ‘wooden frame for carrying coals or peat,’ Middle English and English rip, ‘fish-basket.’ To the assumption that the word is primitively akin to Latin corbis, ‘basket,’ there is no phonetic objection (see Korb and Krebe), yet the Alemannian variants seem to imply a Teutonic primary form *hrëfo-.

Reff (2.), neuter, also Reef, neuter, ‘reef,’ Modern High German only, a nautical term borrowed from Low German; compare Dutch and English reef, also Dutch reven, ‘to reef a sail.’ It is noteworthy that in Old Icelandic rif, ‘rib,’ is used in the same sense. Old Icelandic rifa, ‘to tack together,’ is probably most closely connected with the cognates.