Reeve vs Beeve - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between reeve and beeve

is that reeve is any of several local officials, with varying responsibilities while beeve is a beef; a beef creature.

As a verb reeve

is to pass a rope through a hole or opening, especially so as to fasten it.

As a proper noun Reeve

is {{surname}.

reeve

English

Etymology 1

Old English r?fa , an aphetism of ?er?fa.

Noun

(en noun)

(historical) Any of several local officials, with varying responsibilities.

:* {{quote-book

, year=1999 , year_published= , edition= , editor=Judith McClure, Roger Collins , author=Bede , title=The Ecclesiastical History of the English People , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=Oxford University Press , isbn=9780192838667 , page=99 , passage=His first convert was the reeve of the city of Lincoln call Blæcca, ... }}

(Canada) The president of a township or municipal district council.

(military, historical) A (l) but (l) commissioned (l) of the equivalent to (l).

* 1936 , The Periodical (), volumes 21–22, page 67

A list of new titles was manufactured as follows: Ensign'', ''Lieutenant'', ''Flight-Leader'', ''Squadron-Leader'', ''Reeve''''', ''Banneret'', ''Fourth-Ardian'', ''Third-Ardian'', ''Second-Ardian'', ''Ardian'', ''Air Marshal''. […] “' Reeve ”, perhaps, savoured a little too much of legal authority.

Etymology 2

Apparent alternate form of reef

Verb

(reev)

(nautical, dialect) To pass a rope through a hole or opening, especially so as to fasten it.

* 1930 , William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying , Library of America, 1985, p.98:

"Let the rope go," he says. With his other hand he reaches down and reeves the two turns from the stanchion.

Etymology 3

Noun

(en noun)

A female of the species Philomachus pugnax , a highly gregarious, medium-sized wading bird of Eurasia; the male is a ruff.

beeve

English

Noun

(en noun)

A beef; a beef creature.

They would knock down the first beeve they met with. — W. Irving.

(Webster 1913)