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reign

[reyn]
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noun
  1. the period during which a sovereign occupies the throne.
  2. royal rule or authority; sovereignty.
  3. dominating power or influence: the reign of law.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to possess or exercise sovereign power or authority.
  2. to hold the position and name of sovereign without exercising the ruling power.
  3. to have control, rule, or influence of any kind.
  4. to predominate; be prevalent.
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Origin of reign

1225–75; (noun) Middle English reine, regne < Old French reigne < Latin rēgnum realm, reign, derivative of rēg- (stem of rēx) king; (v.) Middle English reinen, regnen < Old French reignier < Latin rēgnāre, derivative of rēgnum
Related formsin·ter·reign, verb (used without object)non·reign·ing, adjectiveout·reign, verb (used with object)un·reign·ing, adjective
Can be confusedrain reign rein

Synonyms

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2. dominion, suzerainty. 4. rule, govern, prevail.

Antonyms

4. obey.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

dynastyregimetenureoccupygoverndominatepredominatecontrolmonarchypowerinfluenceincumbencyadministrationsupremacycommandhegemonysovereigntyswayascendancyempire

Examples from the Web for reign

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Yet the period of Victoria's reign will often be spoken of in history as the Gladstonian Era.

    The Grand Old Man

    Richard B. Cook

  • From the first to the last moment of her reign, she combined the courtesan with the assassin.

    Ridgeway

    Scian Dubh

  • O, when will the reign of perfect charity, that "thinketh no evil," commence!

  • She used to reign over what they called the "Island of Mere."

    It Happened in Egypt

    C. N. Williamson

  • Unfortunate was the commencement of my reign—unfortunate its end.

    Leila, Complete

    Edward Bulwer-Lytton

British Dictionary definitions for reign

reign

noun
  1. the period during which a monarch is the official ruler of a country
  2. a period during which a person or thing is dominant, influential, or powerfulthe reign of violence is over
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verb (intr)
  1. to exercise the power and authority of a sovereign
  2. to be accorded the rank and title of a sovereign without having ruling authority, as in a constitutional monarchy
  3. to predominate; prevaila land where darkness reigns
  4. (usually present participle) to be the most recent winner of a competition, contest, etcthe reigning heavyweight champion
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Word Origin

C13: from Old French reigne, from Latin rēgnum kingdom, from rēx king

usage

Reign is sometimes wrongly written for rein in certain phrases: he gave full rein (not reign) to his feelings; it will be necessary to rein in (not reign in) public spending
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for reign

n.

early 13c., "kingdom," from Old French reigne "kingdom, land, country" (Modern French règne), from Latin regnum "kingship, dominion, rule, realm," related to regere (see regal). Meaning "period of rule" first recorded mid-14c.

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v.

"to hold or exercise sovereign power," late 13c., from Old French regner "rule, reign" (12c.), from Latin regnare "have royal power, be king, rule, reign," from regnum (see reign (n.)). Related: Reigned; reigning; regnal.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper