reins
Americanplural noun
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the kidneys.
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the region of the kidneys, or the lower part of the back.
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(especially in Biblical use) the seat of the feelings or affections, formerly identified with the kidneys.
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of reins
before 1000; Middle English reines, reenes < Old French reins; compare Old English (once) rēnys; both < Latin rēnēs kidneys, loins (plural); renal
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The manager has given me the reins to play my football and I'm loving it," he says.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
Min Aung Hlaing is expected to manage a carefully orchestrated transition to becoming president, after he handed over the reins of the military to loyalist Ye Win Oo on Monday.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
Asking for help and paying for advice are not the same as handing over the reins to somebody else.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026
It is a dilemma facing many central banks: Surging oil prices threaten economic growth and corporate earnings, backing the case for looser policy, while also posing inflationary risk, which argues for keeping the reins tight.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
The strength of the lamassus and the power of the chariot passed through the reins into me, making us an unstoppable juggernaut.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
