Adjacent Words

Rein definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

REIN, n. [L. retina, retinaculum. If contracted from the Latin, it is from retineo, otherwise from the root of arrest.]
1. The strap of a bridle, fastened to the curb or snaffle on each side, by which the rider of a horse restrains and governs him.
2. The instrument of curbing, restraining or governing; government.
To give the reins, to give license; to leave without restraint.
To take the reins, to take the guidance or government.
REIN, v.t.
1. To govern by a bridle.
2. To restrain; to control.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: one of a pair of long straps (usually connected to the bit or the headpiece) used to control a horse
2: any means of control; "he took up the reins of government" v
1: control and direct with or as if by reins; "rein a horse" [syn: harness, rein in, draw rein, rein]
2: stop or slow up one's horse or oneself by or as if by pulling the reins; "They reined in in front of the post office" [syn: rein, rein in]
3: stop or check by or as if by a pull at the reins; "He reined in his horses in front of the post office" [syn: rein, rein in]
4: keep in check; "rule one's temper" [syn: rule, harness, rein]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English reine, from Anglo-French resne, reine, from Vulgar Latin *retina, from Latin retin?re to restrain — more at retain Date: 14th century 1. a strap fastened to a bit by which a rider or driver controls an animal — usually used in plural 2. a. a restraining influence ; check <kept a tight rein on the proceedings> b. controlling or guiding power — usually used in plural <the reins of government> 3. opportunity for unhampered activity or use <gave full rein to her imagination> II. verb Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to control or direct with or as if with reins 2. to check or stop by or as if by a pull at the reins <reined in her horse> <couldn't rein his impatience> intransitive verb 1. archaic to submit to the use of reins 2. to stop or slow up one's horse or oneself by or as if by pulling the reins

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. (in sing. or pl.) 1 a long narrow strap with each end attached to the bit, used to guide or check a horse etc. in riding or driving. 2 a similar device used to restrain a young child. 3 a means of control. --v.tr. 1 check or manage with reins. 2 (foll. by up, back) pull up or back with reins. 3 (foll. by in) hold in as with reins; restrain. 4 govern, restrain, control. Phrases and idioms: draw rein 1 stop one's horse. 2 pull up. 3 abandon an effort. give free rein to remove constraints from; allow full scope to. keep a tight rein on allow little freedom to. Derivatives: reinless adj. Etymology: ME f. OF rene, reigne, earlier resne, ult. f. L retinere RETAIN

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Rein Rein, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reined (r?nd); p. pr. & vb. n. Reining.] 1. To govern or direct with the reins; as, to rein a horse one way or another. He mounts and reins his horse. --Chapman. 2. To restrain; to control; to check. Being once chafed, he can not Be reined again to temperance. --Shak. To rein in or rein up, to check the speed of, or cause to stop, by drawing the reins.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Rein Rein, v. i. To be guided by reins. [R.] --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Rein Rein (r?n), n. [F. r[^e]ne, fr. (assumed) LL. retina, fr. L. retinere to hold back. See Retain.] 1. The strap of a bridle, fastened to the curb or snaffle on each side, by which the rider or driver governs the horse. This knight laid hold upon his reyne. --Chaucer. 2. Hence, an instrument or means of curbing, restraining, or governing; government; restraint. ``Let their eyes rove without rein.'' --Milton. To give rein, To give the rein to, to give license to; to leave withouut restrain. To take the reins, to take the guidance or government; to assume control.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(reins, reining, reined) 1. Reins are the thin leather straps attached round a horse's neck which are used to control the horse. N-PLURAL 2. Journalists sometimes use the expression the reins or the reins of power to refer to the control of a country or organization. He was determined to see the party keep a hold on the reins of power... N-PLURAL: oft the N of n 3. If you give free rein to someone, you give them a lot of freedom to do what they want. The government continued to believe it should give free rein to the private sector in transport. PHRASE: V inflects 4. If you keep a tight rein on someone, you control them firmly. Her parents had kept her on a tight rein with their narrow and inflexible views. PHRASE: V inflects

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. Check, restrain, control, curb, bridle, hold.

Moby Thesaurus

administration, arrest, arrestation, backpedal, backwater, brake, bridle, check, clip the wings, collect, command, constrain, constraint, contain, control, cool, cool off, cooling, cooling down, cooling off, curb, curtail, curtailment, decelerate, deceleration, delay, detain, dompt, draw rein, ease off, ease up, enjoin, govern, guard, harness, helm, hinder, hindrance, hold, hold at bay, hold back, hold fast, hold in, hold in check, hold in leash, hold up, impede, inhibit, inhibition, injunction, interdict, keep, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep under control, lay under restraint, leadership, legal restraint, let down, let up, limit, limitation, lose ground, lose momentum, lose speed, moderate, monopoly, obstruct, power, prohibit, prohibition, protection, protectionism, protective tariff, pull, pull in, rationing, reef, rein in, reins, relax, repress, restrain, restraint, restraint of trade, restrict, retard, retardation, retrench, retrenchment, rule, running, self-control, set back, simmer down, slack off, slack up, slacken, slow, slow down, slow up, slowing down, smother, snub, stay, straiten, suppress, take in sail, tariff wall, thought control, throttle down, tiller, withhold