free rein

noun

1. unhampered freedom of movement, choice, or action:

   Students have free rein to choose their own class schedules.

Word History and Origins

Origin of free rein¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Idioms and Phrases

see free hand .

Example Sentences

Matthew liked to join us at the dinner table, where he had free rein.

From Washington Post

This self-dealing creates a quagmire inside the proton, giving gluons free rein to arise, proliferate and split into short-lived quark-antiquark pairs.

From Quanta Magazine

The game then gives you free rein to tackle a number of objectives beyond getting to know the Anglo Saxons of England.

From Washington Post

They’re given free rein to grow, but the expectation is that they’ll provide a return on investment.

From Digiday

For their first few decades, they were pretty much given free rein.

From Freakonomics

Kim Jong Un, who assumed power on the death of his father, had given uncle Jang nearly free rein to handle relations with Beijing.

From The Daily Beast

The auteurs of the world are no longer given free rein and are now beholden to certain financial imperatives.

From The Daily Beast

Or will we once again, weeping with remorse, give free rein to the assassins of body and spirit?

From The Daily Beast

The crowds in Taksim Square had free rein in the pre-dawn hours on Sunday.

From The Daily Beast

Any progress made, however little, could soon unravel as the LRA are given free rein, once again, to do as they please.

From The Daily Beast

Clemens allowed his exuberant fancy free rein, being under no restrictions as to the possibility of print or public offense.

From Project Gutenberg

And Mrs. Roberts gleefully assented, and gave free rein to her pretty tastes.

From Project Gutenberg

Once the hackberry was reached, the horses were given free rein, when restraint became necessary to avoid galloping home.

From Project Gutenberg

He was thrilled with joy at the thought, and gave free rein to the emotions of his heart.

From Project Gutenberg

It is by giving free rein to folly, in conversation and action, that people expose themselves to contempt and ridicule.

From Project Gutenberg