Rein

/ɹeɪn/ · noun

Meaning

A strap or rope attached to a bridle or bit, used to control a horse, other animal or young child..

Definitions by Sense

1. A strap or rope attached to a bridle or bit, used to control a horse, other animal or young child.
2. (figurative) An instrument or means of curbing, restraining, or governing.
3. (transitive) To direct or stop a horse by using reins.
4. (transitive) To restrain; to control; to check.
5. (intransitive) To obey directions given with the reins.
6. (now rare, archaic, chiefly in plural) A kidney.
7. The inward impulses; the affections and passions, formerly supposed to be located in the area of the kidneys.

Example Sentences

The government is attempting to keep a rein on rising prices.

Let their eyes rove without rein.

He mounts and reins his horse.

Being once chafed, he cannot / Be reined again to temperance.

After an interval that he judged to have lasted twenty minutes, the bed began to shake with poorly reined sobs.

She worked each horse at a walk, trot, and then a canter. The horses reined well and executed stops quickly.

a man subject to these like imaginations[…]hath often the stone imaginarily, before he have it in his reines[…].

He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

Synonyms for rein

Antonyms for rein

Related Words

Word Forms

• reins
• reining
• reined

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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