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rein
[ reyn ]
noun
- 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)
verb (used without object)
- to obey the reins:
a horse that reins well.
- to rein a horse or other animal.
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 control
to 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 reingive free reingive a free rein to allow considerable freedom; remove restraints
- keep a tight rein onkeep a tight rein on to control carefully; limit
we have to keep a tight rein on expenditure
- on a long reinon a long rein with the reins held loosely so that the horse is relatively unconstrained
- shorten the reinsshorten 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 reins
they reined left
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Usage
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Other Words From
- reinless adjective
- un·reined adjective
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Word History and Origins
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Word History and Origins
Origin of rein1
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Idioms and Phrases
- 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: Also give free rein to, give full rein to.
to give rein to one's imagination.
More idioms and phrases containing rein
see draw in the reins ; free hand (rein) tight rein on .Discover More
Example Sentences
Kim Jong Un, who assumed power on the death of his father, had given uncle Jang nearly free rein to handle relations with Beijing.
In retirement, Frank is consciously trying to pare down and rein in.
Congress itself ironically recognized as much in its effort to rein in presidential use of force after Vietnam.
There are times where we do takes that are so crazy that we have to rein it in.
He organized a bipartisan effort to rein in the National Security Agency that came within a few votes of passing the House.
He rode easily, with a loose rein, and he waved his disengaged hand the instant he caught sight of the white faces.
To rein up was impossible, to go down would have been almost certain death to horse and man.
The rein was fastened to a piece of split rattan drawn through the animal's nose.
Without drawing rein, they pushed on to Busseerutgunge, crossed the river Sai and neared the village of Bunnee.
A little way beyond the poplar-grove Piegan drew rein, and held up one hand.
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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.
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