An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Reff
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.