reefer2

[f. reef n.² or v.² + -er¹.]

1. Austral. and N.Z. One who works on a gold-reef.

1859 Adelong Mining Jrnl. 15 Apr. 4/2 On Monday last he made known to a few of our old reefers his discovery. 1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 285 He was not a miner, a speculator, a reefer, nor an engine-driver. 1940 Baker N.Z. Slang iv. 28 Gold-fields brought [to N.Z.] the reefer, the deep lead, the gutter, the monkey shaft.

2. U.S. A reef-oyster (Cent. Dict. 1891).

3. Austral. One associated with the Great Barrier Reef.

1951 J. Devanny Travels N. Queensland xv. 78 We plunged into the water up to our knees..holding the sticks which experienced ‘reefers’ invariably carry.

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