rein

[ reyn ]

/ reɪn /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: rein / reins on Thesaurus.com

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR rein

6 check, bridle, limit.

See synonyms for rein on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about 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. 2023

How to use rein in a sentence

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
Salama al Sersawi leans on a bench, waiting to get his mound of matted hair reined in.
The Gaza Paradox: Hamas Has Little Support, but the War Has a Lot|Jesse Rosenfeld|August 7, 2014|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
Malcolm reined up, and soon a British officer appeared round a bend in the road.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
A moment later the road led up a hill-side, and at the summit she caught his bridle and reined in.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
I reined up my horse in wonderment and stared at him, and he came close to my side, so that I could see him plainly.
A Prince of Cornwall|Charles W. Whistler
As the knight vanished in a cloud of dust, Iftikhar reined in his good bay, and turned to Longsword.
God Wills It!|William Stearns Davis
She came near shrieking—so startled was she—as a horseman reined up at the window.
Alone|Marion Harland

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with rein

rein

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

rein

OTHER WORDS FOR rein

Idioms about rein

Origin of rein

OTHER WORDS FROM rein

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH rein

Words related to rein

How to use rein in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rein

Word Origin for rein

undefined rein

Other Idioms and Phrases with rein