rein

[ reyn ]

/ reɪn /

noun

Often reins. a leather strap, fastened to each end of the bit of a bridle, by which the rider or driver controls a horse or other animal by pulling so as to exert pressure on the bit.

any of certain other straps or thongs forming part of a harness, as a checkrein.

any means of curbing, controlling, or directing; check; restraint.

reins, the controlling or directing power: the reins of government.

verb (used with object)

to check or guide (a horse or other animal) by exerting pressure on a bridle bit by means of the reins.

to curb; restrain; control.

verb (used without object)

to obey the reins: a horse that reins well.

to rein a horse or other animal.

SYNONYMS FOR rein

6 check, bridle, limit.

See synonyms for rein on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms for rein

draw rein, to curtail one's speed or progress; halt: The rider saw the snake and drew rein sharply.

give rein to, to give complete freedom to; indulge freely: to give rein to one's imagination.Also give free rein to, give full rein to.

Origin of rein

1300–50; (noun) Middle English rene, reine, raine<Old French re(s)ne<Vulgar Latin *retina, noun derivative of Latin retinēre to hold back, retain; (v.) Middle English rainen, reinen, derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM rein

reinless, adjectiveun·reined, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH rein

rain, reign, rein

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for rein

The move, announced at Bed Bath & Beyond’s analyst day last month, is just one of a number of radical steps taken by the CEO since he took the reins a year ago Wednesday.
How Bed Bath & Beyond’s CEO tamed its trademark coupons—and turned the retailer around|Phil Wahba|November 10, 2020|Fortune
Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald dismisses any suggestion that this initiative, in the works since before he took the reins two years ago, can be written off as marketing or corporate virtue signaling.
Lululemon announces expanded size range and sustainable fabrics in new good citizenship push|Phil Wahba|October 28, 2020|Fortune
Advertisers enter several variations of titles and descriptions and hand over the reins to Google algorithms to assemble the winning combinations.
Google Ads turns 20: The most important trends and changes of the past 5 years|Ginny Marvin|October 23, 2020|Search Engine Land
So in June, Tomé took off her gardening gloves and took the reins of the storied delivery company.
The holidays used to be UPS’s busiest time. Then came COVID-19|Aaron Pressman|October 19, 2020|Fortune

Businesses may be looking forward to a very conservative Supreme Court that gives them free rein.
Why a very conservative Supreme Court will be bad for business|matthewheimer|October 13, 2020|Fortune
Like his old man, he keeps it reined in, but when talking about fishing, a true regret seeps out.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And both strategies have been reined in by the new police commissioner, William Bratton.
NYPD Will Continue Spying in the Muslim Community With Undercovers, Informants|Michael Daly|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Winkelmann reined in Minky and pals so we could stretch our legs near “Old Bettles.”
Visiting the Arctic Circle…Before It’s Irreversibly Changed|Terry Greene Sterling|April 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Most important, we now know that street violence is not inevitable—it can be reined in.
Chicago Murder Rate Surges as New York’s Drops to Record Low|John Avlon|July 2, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He reined in federal spending by as much as $2.5 trillion and set limits for how much the nation can rack up in debt.
Debt Deal’s Winners & Losers|Daniel Stone|August 2, 2011|DAILY BEAST
In the heat of midday Hare yielded to its influence and reined in his horse under a slate-bank where there was shade.
The Heritage of the Desert|Zane Grey
Presently Little Jim reined his horse to the left and rode up a dim trail among the boulders.
Partners of Chance|Henry Herbert Knibbs
They reined up, and lashed him tighter; he had actually loosened his cords.
Stingaree|E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung
They had reined in their horses and sat listening quietly for a few seconds.
Frontier Boys on the Coast|Capt. Wyn Roosevelt
He reined up as he saw Rachel, and looked at her for a moment in a way that chilled her.
The Red Acorn|John McElroy

British Dictionary definitions for rein

rein

/ (reɪn) /

noun

(often plural) one of a pair of long straps, usually connected together and made of leather, used to control a horse, running from the side of the bit or the headstall to the hand of the rider, driver, or trainer

a similar device used to control a very young child

any form or means of controlto take up the reins of government

the direction in which a rider turns (in phrases such as on a left (or right) rein, change the rein)

something that restrains, controls, or guides

give free rein or give a free rein to allow considerable freedom; remove restraints

keep a tight rein on to control carefully; limitwe have to keep a tight rein on expenditure

on a long rein with the reins held loosely so that the horse is relatively unconstrained

shorten the reins to take up the reins so that the distance between hand and bit is lessened, in order that the horse may be more collected

verb

(tr) to check, restrain, hold back, or halt with or as if with reins

to control or guide (a horse) with a rein or reinsthey reined left

Word Origin for rein

C13: from Old French resne, from Latin retinēre to hold back, from re- + tenēre to hold; see restrain

undefined rein

See reign

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

Idioms and Phrases with rein

rein

see draw in the reins; free hand (rein) tight rein on.

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